Babies born prematurely in Canada face more illness, are more likely to spend time in hospital and take more medications than children born on time, according to a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics.
The researchers followed nearly 450,000 children in British Columbia from birth up to age five to see how being born early affected their health.
They report that preterm babies were more likely to be diagnosed with breathing problems, developmental delays and other disorders and were more likely to be prescribed medications such as antibiotics, bronchodilators and steroids. The earlier a baby was born, the more likely they were to be hospitalized within their first five years.
The rate of preterm birth (37 weeks of gestation or less) has been increasing over the past 25 years, from 7.5 per cent of all live births in 2000 to 8.2 per cent in 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
Neonatal care has improved and the rate of survival is higher than it once was, says principal investigator and neonatologist Joseph Ting, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Alberta supported by the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, and by the Variety Children's Charity.
“What really motivates me is understanding how these neonatal intensive care unit survivors are doing after they leave intensive care — not just their health, but also their families and their quality of life in the long run.”