The likelihood of infancy health risks is slightly higher in babies born days or weeks earlier. The study result has come after doctors across the world have agreed that birth of babies after 37 weeks gives them long-term health concerns. In the study carried out by British Medical Journal, 14,000 children that have born 10 years ago, were assessed on their health pattern. The assessment considered several factors affecting health, along with admissions to nursing clinics and early health complications such as asthma, wheezing.
Studies conducted earlier made an assessment of babies born quite prematurely, before 32 weeks. On the other hand, this study underlines the need of same attention for babies born later than period. One of the highlighting conclusions of the study was that the degree of risk is equally high in babies born after 39 weeks. However, researchers agree that ‘earlier the baby arrives, more is the risk’. The assessment revealed that 15% of babies born full term had complications of asthma or wheezing, whereas the figure rose to 17% for those born early.
Another survey shows that around 100,000 babies are born prematurely every year, during 37-38 weeks. However, researchers relieved parents saying that they should not worry about chances of illness but ascertain babies get proper care.
Universities of Leicester, Liverpool, Oxford, Warwick and National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit came together for carrying out the research. Dr Elaine Boyle of the University of Leicester commented on the study saying that gradient of health risk increases with increasing prematurity, but there is no point of relating it with preterm or term birth. Andy Cole of special care baby charity Bliss welcomed the research by quoting that babies born early are more susceptible to health risks like wheezing and asthma, and should be taken care of.
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