Adults Born Preterm Face Higher Risk of Chronic Diseases: Study Finds

The longest-running U.S. study on preterm birth has found that being born early can have lasting health consequences well into adulthood-affecting everything from heart health to mental wellbeing. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), highlight the urgent need to include birth history in adult medical records and develop long-term clinical guidelines for individuals born preterm.

The research, led by University of Rhode Island College of Nursing Professor Amy D’Agata, continues work that began in the 1980s with a cohort of infants born preterm at Women & Infants Hospital. The longitudinal study has followed 215 participants, including both preterm (born between 22 to 36 weeks of gestation) and full-term infants.

As these individuals approach their 40s, the data reveal clear health disparities between those born preterm and their full-term peers. According to D’Agata, preterm individuals are showing higher rates of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, abdominal fat, and reduced bone density. Psychologically, they are more prone to internalizing stress, which manifests as higher levels of anxiety and depression.