Environmental News Network - Children Born Extremely Preterm Are More Likely to Be Diagnosed with Depression than Peers Born at Term

Details: By University of Turku; 12.Nov

A study using extensive nationwide registry data showed that girls born extremely preterm, earlier than 28 weeks gestational age, were three times more likely to be diagnosed with depression than peers born close to the expected date of delivery.

Julie Swatson

A study using extensive nationwide registry data showed that girls born extremely preterm, earlier than 28 weeks gestational age, were three times more likely to be diagnosed with depression than peers born close to the expected date of delivery. Increased risk of depression also applied to girls and boys with poor fetal growth born full-term and post-term. The effects of poor fetal growth were more evident with increasing gestational age.

All the results were adjusted for paternal psychopathology, paternal immigrant status, maternal psychopathology, maternal depression, maternal substance abuse, number of previous births, maternal marital status, maternal socio-economic status, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and the infant’s birthplace.

Childhood Depression Can Be Addressed Preventively
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder that has been reported to affect 1-2 percent of preschool and prepubertal children and 3-8 percent of adolescents. However, childhood depression is a severe disorder and its prevention can be advanced with the identification of at-risk groups.

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Children Born Extremely Preterm Are More Likely to Be Diagnosed with Depression than Peers Born at Term