Women born prematurely have an 80% higher risk of suicide than those born at full term, according to a team of researchers.
- Premature babies face risks throughout their lives, including increased vulnerability to “external” causes of death: suicide, road accidents and substance abuse.
- Women born prematurely have an 80% higher risk of suicide than those born full term. A rate close to that of men, who are often more affected by this scourge.
- This mental fragility could be explained by cognitive or social disorders, but also by chronic illnesses to which premature people are more exposed, such as diabetes or heart problems.
Being born prematurely, that is, before 37 weeks of gestation, is regularly associated with health complications growing up, such as respiratory problems or infectious diseases. But it may also have more “unexpected” consequences on mortality risk, according to researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Their study, carried out on some 37,000 people born prematurely in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, reveals a persistent vulnerability to “external” causes of death, such as suicide, road accidents and substance abuse.
Suicide: an increased risk for women born prematurely
The most striking finding concerns women born prematurely, who have an 80% higher risk of suicide than women born full term. They are almost as likely to end their lives as men, usually more affected by this scourge according to global statistics. “We don’t know why women born prematurely are at almost the same level of risk as men”specify the scientists in a press release. Men born prematurely, on the other hand, do not show a significant increase in suicide risk.
This mental fragility could be explained by cognitive or social disorders already documented in premature babies. The study, published in the journal BMC Medicinealso shows geographical disparities: young premature Swedish women are particularly at risk, while Danish women have significantly lower mortality rates from suicide or drug abuse.
Further monitoring of people born prematurely
Beyond external causes, children born prematurely have an increased risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular, pulmonary and metabolic diseases such as diabetes. “Premature babies carry an additional burden throughout their lives”summarize the researchers. However, the survival of premature babies has significantly improved: today, more than 80% of babies born before 28 weeks survive beyond birth.
“Survival rates have increased significantly, but some people born prematurely need more long-term monitoring.” Hence the urgency, according to scientists, to update the recommendations for monitoring premature children. Currently limited to the first five years of life, these guidelines do not take into account the difficulties that emerge when entering school, a critical moment for families.
