Birth status, child growth, and adult outcomes in low- and middle-income countries.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of being born preterm or small for gestational age (SGA) on several adult outcomes.


METHODS
We analyzed data for 4518 adult participants in 5 birth cohorts from Brazil, Guatemala, India, the Philippines, and South Africa.


RESULTS
In the study population, 12.8% of males and 11.9% of females were born preterm, and 26.8% of males and 22.4% of females were born term but SGA. Adults born preterm were 1.11 cm shorter (95% CI, 0.57-1.65 cm), and those born term but SGA were 2.35 cm shorter (95% CI, 1.93-2.77 cm) compared with those born at term and appropriate size for gestational age. Blood pressure and blood glucose level did not differ by birth category. Compared with those born term and at appropriate size for gestational age, schooling attainment was 0.44 years lower (95% CI, 0.17-0.71 years) in those born preterm and 0.41 years lower (95% CI, 0.20-0.62 years) in those born term but SGA.


CONCLUSIONS
Being born preterm or term but SGA is associated with persistent deficits in adult height and schooling, but is not related to blood pressure or blood glucose level in low- and middle-income settings. Increased postnatal growth is associated with gains in height and schooling regardless of birth status, but not with increases in blood pressure or blood glucose level.
Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA; MRC/Wits Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Aryeh D
AD
Stein
Fernando C
FC
Barros
Santosh K
SK
Bhargava
Wei
W
Hao
Bernardo L
BL
Horta
Nanette
N
Lee
Christopher W
CW
Kuzawa
Reynaldo
R
Martorell
Siddarth
S
Ramji
Alan
A
Stein
Linda
L
Richter
D000328:Adult; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development*; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
AGA; Appropriate for gestational age; BMI; Body mass index; GA; Gestational age; IFG; Impaired fasting glucose; LGA; LMP; Large for gestational age; Last menstrual period; SGA; Small for gestational age