Adult outcomes after preterm birth

Prior, Emily
Modi, Neena

¹Neonatal Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK

Correspondence to Dr Emily Prior, Neonatal Medicine, Imperial College London, London SW7 2BU, UK; [email protected]

Received March 24, 2020; Revised April 29, 2020; Accepted May 02, 2020

Contributors EP wrote the first draft of the paper; both authors contributed to revisions and approved the final submitted version.

Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

Competing interests None declared.

Patient consent for publication Not required.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Postgraduate Medical Journal 96(1140):p 619-622, October 2020. | DOI: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2020-137707

ABSTRACT

Extremely preterm birth reflects global disruption of the third trimester environment. Young adults born preterm have an adverse cardiovascular and metabolic health profile, together with molecular evidence of accelerated ageing and a reduced life expectancy. The underlying mechanism for these observations is unknown. This review summarises recent evidence of the lifetime effects of preterm birth and highlights the risks survivors face.

Adult outcomes after preterm birth

ABSTRACT

Corresponding Article

‘The child is father of the man'—why we need to ask adults about their childhood