Preterm infants of educated mothers have better outcome

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica 2008-05, Vol.97 (5), p.568-573
• Main Authors: Wang, Lan-Wan, Wang, Shan-Tair, Huang, Chao-Ching
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis of Variance; Biological and medical sciences; Child Development - classification; Child, Preschool; Developmental trajectories; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Early intervention; Educational Status; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight - growth & development; Maternal education; Medical sciences; Neurological status; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Psychomotor Performance - classification; Taiwan; Very-low-birthweight infants
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00738.x

Aim: To determine the developmental trajectories of very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) infants during the first 2 years of life, and investigate the most contributory predictors of diverse trajectories. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 887 VLBW infants from January 1999 to December 2002 with regular follow‐up at corrected age of 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Sociodemographic and medical data were collected, and the outcome measures consisted of neurological assessment and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development‐II. Results: Five trajectories of cognitive development based on the mental developmental indices from the age of 6 to 24 months were determined, including average‐stable (group A, 20.1%), average‐decline to borderline delay (group B, 34%), borderline delay‐catch‐up to average (group C, 20.2%), borderline delay‐decline to significant delay (group D, 17.2%) and significant delay‐stable (group E, 8.5%). Using group A as the reference category, we determined 6‐month neurological status and maternal education as the most significant predictors for various trajectories (p < 0.01). Infants with transient or definite neurological abnormality and/or low maternal education had higher odds of displaying the disadvantageous trajectories (group B, D and E; odds ratios, 1.79–46.4). Conclusion: VLBW infants with neurological abnormalities and/or low maternal education had high risk of developmental decline and might benefit from early intervention.