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Early-term birth linked to increased respiratory symptoms throughout childhood

Delivery at 37 to 38 weeks of gestation is associated with increased respiratory symptoms throughout childhood, according to study results.

“Our results show that early–term-born children up to 10 years of age had up to 70% greater risk of respiratory symptoms and up to 50% greater inhaler use than similarly aged term-born children,” Martin O. Edwards, BM, MRCPCH, from the Institute of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at Cardiff University School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote. “Early–term-born children aged 5 years or greater also had increased risk of chest infections and antibiotic use when compared with those born at full term.”

Edwards and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional population-based study of 2,845 children aged 1 to 10 years (545 early–term-born; 2,300 full–term-born) to determine if those born at 37 to 38 weeks have greater respiratory symptoms and health care use during childhood than children born at full term.

Early–term-born children aged less than 5 years (n = 272) showed a higher prevalence of wheeze (48.2%) compared with children born full-term (n = 1,123; 39%) (OR = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9).

Early–term-born children aged less than 5 years had twice the odds of inhaler medication use (OR = 2; 95% CI, 1.4-2.9) and higher admission rates to the hospital in the first year of life (OR = 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2-2.1).

Children aged 5 years and older born early term (n = 273) also displayed a higher prevalence of wheeze (33.3%) compared with children born full term (n = 1,177; 26.4%) (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1.05-1.8). Children in this category born early term also had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with asthma (OR = 1.4; 95% CI, 1-2.1) and experiencing exercise-induced wheezing (OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.8).

The results did not indicate a difference between children delivered by caesarian section compared with those delivered vaginally for respiratory symptoms throughout childhood.

“[However,] children born early term by means of [caesarian section] or [vaginal delivery] had higher rates of wheezing compared with children born full term by means of [vaginal delivery] and marginally increased rates for children born early term by means of [caesarian section] compared with children born full term by means of [caesarian section],” the researchers wrote. – by Ryan McDonald

Disclosure: Edwards reports receiving research support from the Children and Young People’s Research Network (CYPRN Wales) and the Mason Medical Research Foundation. Edwards also reports receiving travel support from the CYPRN Wales. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.