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Early full-term births linked to poorer cardiorespiratory fitness later in life
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Babies born early, but during the full-term range, may have poorer cardiorespiratory fitness through adolescence and young adulthood, study data show.
“Increases in preterm births and recent trends toward shorter gestational lengths within the at-term period (ie, 37-42 weeks) have revived the interest in the associations between gestational age and offspring health outcomes,” Isabel Ferreira, PhD, of the School of Public Health at The University of Queensland, Australia, and colleagues wrote. “Indeed, it is becoming increasingly evident that shorter gestation, even within the at-term period, may lead to adverse health outcomes, such as neonatal and infant neurological, cognitive, and respiratory morbidity and mortality.”
Ferreira and colleagues studied 791 babies born in Northern Ireland between the full-term range of 37 to 42 weeks. Their cardiorespiratory fitness, which reflects the ability of the body to supply oxygen during physical activity, was measured at age 12, 15 and 22 years. Early term was categorized as births between 37 and 38 weeks (n = 110), full term as 39 to 40 weeks (n = 533) and late-term as 41 to 42 weeks (n = 148).
Early-term births had a 57% increased risk for developing poor cardiorespiratory fitness during adolescence and young adulthood compared with full-term and late-term births (RR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.14-2.16).
Each week increase in gestational age reduced risk for poor cardiorespiratory fitness by 14%.
The findings were not attenuated after adjustment for diet, physical activity and smoking behavior of the participants.
“We believe that earlier births — even within the at-term range — may interrupt normal development and lead to permanent changes of tissues and organs, thereby affecting cardiorespiratory fitness,” Ferreira said in a press release. “As such, recent trends toward deliveries at shorter gestational lengths within the at-term period are worrisome. … Health care providers and mothers should be informed of the lifelong health risks that early-term deliveries may have on their offspring and refrain from these (eg, scheduled caesarean sections or induced labor) unless there is a medical indication to anticipate deliveries.” − by Cassie Homer
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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