Late-Preterm Babies Have Higher Chance Of Problems At Pre-School

March 30, 2009 by tanya
Filed under: Baby Health, News

Studies have shown that babies born three to six weeks before their due dates have a higher risk of learning disabilities or developmental delays during preschool.

Although the risk is small, there was a significant increase in risk between full-term and late-preterm babies.

Researchers have told parents not to be alarmed by the results, as overall, the risk is small.

Currently, 3 percent of full-term babies will suffer from learning problems. This compared to 4 percent of late-preterm babies - a 36 percent increase.

It had been thought that babies born after 35 weeks of gestation were clear of any developmental problems.

Dr. Steven Benjamin Morse who led the study said ““The biggest take-home point is that the late-preterm baby is not exactly the same as the term baby,”

“They go home from the hospital in two to three days, and they look great, and they act like full-term babies,”

“But now we’ve found that they do have some increased risk of problems when they enter school. We were surprised.”

Preterm births are currently increasing in the States, with around 70 percent of preterm births occurring within the time frame studied.

Dr. Alan Fleischman, medical director of the March of Dimes said more had to be done to avoid preterm births. “We need to make sure the obstetricians are not suggesting early deliveries and Caesarean sections to be done at their convenience, and that the mothers are not requesting early deliveries,”