September 28, 2012 – Women born prematurely at 32 weeks or less are twice as likely as those born at term to have at least one complication during their pregnancy.
This is what a recent Quebec study published in the Journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
20% of premature women have had at least one complication during their pregnancy while they are only 12% in those born at term. The main risks identified are gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension and eclampsia. The researchers conclude the study by recommending that pregnant women born prematurely have a medical follow-up taking this factor into account.
Since this is only a causal link, a preterm woman will not necessarily experience complications during her pregnancy. However, the authors believe that the issue needs to be looked at more carefully since the rate of children born prematurely has been on the rise in recent years.
This study was conducted by Dr. Anne Monique Nuyt in collaboration with specialists from the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center and the School of Psychology at Laval University. As part of the research, the medical records of 7,400 women born prematurely and 16,000 women born at term between 1976 and 1995 were examined.
