Premature Babies More Likely To Be Neurotic Adults?

Each year worldwide, 15 million babies are born too soon; sadly over 1 million lose their lives from pre-term birth related complications, according to the World Health Organisation.

Now a long term study done by University of Warwick on 400 babies found that those born before 32 weeks of gestation (full term is 37-42 weeks) are at a significantly increased risk of developing mental health disorders such as psychosis, depression, and bipolar disorder as adults.

As per the study, compared to babies born full term, premature babies or preemies are 7 times more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder as adults. They are also 3 times more likely to be hospitalised for depression and twice as likely to develop psychosis.

Why Are Premature Babies More at Risk for Mental Disorders?

Scientists aren’t sure why people who are born prematurely have more mental health issues than the ones who were carried full term.

The difference could be pinned to the trauma of an early birth, injury resulting from an immature nervous system, or environment factors. Also, after birth, preemies are straight away put in incubators instead of the mother’s arms where bonding and a lot of social growth happens. Most of the times, they are not breast fed in the first few hours of birth, either.

Researchers recommend that parents of premature infants relax and not hover around the child, over bearing families will only dent the baby’s confidence further and kill social skills. And encourage more sleepovers, organise more play dates and take an extra step in ensuring your baby is in the company of other children.