Health & Medicine
Low Birth Weight Babies May Be At Increased Risk Of Psychiatric Disorders Later
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Feb 09, 2015 02:55 PM EST
Premature babies with very low birth weight may be an increased risk of psychiatric problems as adults, according to recent findings published in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers at McMaster University discovered that babies with extremely low birth weight whose mothers received a full course of steroids prior to giving birth were at an even greater risk for certain psychiatric problems.
"Importantly, we have identified psychiatric risks that may develop for extremely low birth weight survivors as they become adults, and this understanding will help us better predict, detect and treat mental disorders in this population," Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout, lead author of the study and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences for the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster, said in a news release.
The study looked at 84 adults who were born weighing less than 2 pounds, along with 90 normal birth-weight babies--all born in Ontario between 1977 and 1982.
Researchers found that low birth-weight babies were about 2.5 times more likely to develop various mental health problems, including an anxiety disorder, depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, the likelihood was evem higher for mothers who received a high dose of steroids before giving birth, with a 4.5 times increased rate.
However, researchers also found a silver lining in the study. Low birth-weight who received a full round of life-saving steroids before birth were not at a higher risk for alcohol or substance use disorders than normal-weight counterparts.
Certain factors may increase the risk of low birth-weight. Talk to you doctor if you have any concerns during your pregnancy.
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TagsHealth, Baby, Weight, psychiatric illnesses, Psychiatric Problems, Behavioral Health, Mental Illness, Risk ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Feb 09, 2015 02:55 PM EST
Premature babies with very low birth weight may be an increased risk of psychiatric problems as adults, according to recent findings published in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers at McMaster University discovered that babies with extremely low birth weight whose mothers received a full course of steroids prior to giving birth were at an even greater risk for certain psychiatric problems.
"Importantly, we have identified psychiatric risks that may develop for extremely low birth weight survivors as they become adults, and this understanding will help us better predict, detect and treat mental disorders in this population," Dr. Ryan Van Lieshout, lead author of the study and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences for the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster, said in a news release.
The study looked at 84 adults who were born weighing less than 2 pounds, along with 90 normal birth-weight babies--all born in Ontario between 1977 and 1982.
Researchers found that low birth-weight babies were about 2.5 times more likely to develop various mental health problems, including an anxiety disorder, depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, the likelihood was evem higher for mothers who received a high dose of steroids before giving birth, with a 4.5 times increased rate.
However, researchers also found a silver lining in the study. Low birth-weight who received a full round of life-saving steroids before birth were not at a higher risk for alcohol or substance use disorders than normal-weight counterparts.
Certain factors may increase the risk of low birth-weight. Talk to you doctor if you have any concerns during your pregnancy.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone