[Article Review] How Very Preterm Birth or Very Low Birth Weight Impacts Intelligence in Adulthood

Reference

Eves, R., Mendonça, M., Baumann, N., Ni, Y., Darlow, B. A., Horwood, J., Woodward, L. J., Doyle, L. W., Cheong, J., Anderson, P. J., Bartmann, P., Marlow, N., Johnson, S., Kajantie, E., Hovi, P., Nosarti, C., Indredavik, M. S., Evensen, K.-A. I., Räikkönen, K., Heinonen, K., Zeitlin, J., & Wolke, D. (2021). Association of very preterm birth or very low birth weight with intelligence in adulthood: An individual participant data meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(8), e211058. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.1058

Review

In this article, Eves et al. (2021) assessed the differences in adult IQ between individuals born very preterm (VPT) or with very low birth weight (VLBW) and term-born individuals. The authors conducted a systematic review of published data and a meta-analysis of individual participant data (IPD) from cohorts in two consortia (RECAP and APIC). The study included 2135 adults (1068 VPT/VLBW and 1067 term-born participants) born between 1978 and 1995.

The researchers found that VPT/VLBW participants had mean adult IQ scores that were 0.78 SD lower than term-born participants, equivalent to a difference of 12 IQ points. Among VPT/VLBW participants, lower gestational age, lower birth weight z scores, the presence of neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia or any grade of intraventricular hemorrhage, and lower maternal educational levels were all significantly associated with lower IQ scores in adulthood.

The findings from this IPD meta-analysis provide valuable insights into the factors associated with lower adult IQ in individuals born with VPT or VLBW. The study emphasizes the importance of addressing neonatal morbidities and maternal educational levels as potential interventions to improve long-term cognitive outcomes for this population.

[Article Review] Cognitive Abilities, Not Math Skills, Predict Wealth for Preterm Adults

Reference

Jaekel, J., Baumann, N., Bartmann, P., & Wolke, D. (2019). General cognitive but not mathematic abilities predict very preterm and healthy term born adults’ wealth. PLOS ONE, 14(3), e0212789. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212789

Review

In this article, the authors investigate the impact of very preterm (VP) or very low birth weight (VLBW) on adult wealth and whether this impact is mediated by mathematic abilities or general cognitive abilities. They conducted a longitudinal study of 193 VP/VLBW and 217 healthy term comparison participants from birth to adulthood in Bavaria, South Germany. At the age of eight, both mathematic and general cognitive abilities were assessed, and wealth information was collected at 26 years of age.

The authors found that VP/VLBW participants had lower mathematic and general cognitive abilities than healthy term comparison children, and they had accumulated significantly lower overall wealth at 26 years of age. Structural equation modeling showed that VP/VLBW birth and childhood IQ both directly predicted adult wealth, while math did not. This study highlights the importance of focusing on general cognitive abilities in designing effective interventions for individuals born at the highest neonatal risk to reduce the burden of prematurity.

The implications of this research are crucial for policymakers, educators, and healthcare professionals to develop targeted support systems for children born with VP/VLBW. By focusing on general cognitive abilities rather than specific mathematic problems, interventions can help alleviate the negative life-course consequences of premature birth, ultimately leading to more successful outcomes for individuals in terms of adult wealth accumulation.