Journal article
The Relationship Between Early Term Birth and the Risk of Later Childhood Mental Disorders Within a Pregnancy Cohort
M Galbally, SJ Watson, J Newnham, S White, A Watkins, AJ Lewis
Child Psychiatry and Human Development | SPRINGER | Published : 2025
Abstract
This study examines whether gestational age, birth weight, and early term birth is associated with childhood mental disorders in 342 pregnant women recruited at less than 20 weeks gestation and were then followed up until 4 years postpartum, including 93 children born at early term. Women were assessed at recruitment using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM. At 4 years of age their children were assessed using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment (PAPA) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). This study found earlier birth predicted an increased risk for anxiety disorders and demonstrated a significant interaction between gestational age and lower birthweight. The risk for ADHD i..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank those who have supported the development of MPEWS including Michael Permezel and Marinus van IJzendoorn. The authors also thank staff, students and volunteers on the MPEWS study as well as study co-ordinators for their contribution to MPEWS. We are also sincerely grateful to the study participants who have contributed a substantial amount of time to participating in this study.