WASHINGTON (Dispatches) - Babies born with extremely low birth weight are not only at risk for physical problems but are also more likely to experience mental health problems later in life, according to scientists.
"Our findings provide evidence that individuals born at extremely low birth weight are at higher overall risk for psychological difficulties than their normal birth weight peers. These difficulties most frequently involve attention, anxiety-related and social problems," said lead author Karen Mathewson, PhD, McMaster University. The study appears in the journal Psychological Bulletin, which is published by the American Psychological Association.
Mathewson and her colleagues conducted meta-analyses using 41 studies that followed 2,712 individuals who were extremely low birth weight babies and 11,127 who were normal birth weight babies. The studies took place over a 26-year period (1990-2016) in 12 different countries, including the United States and Canada.
Extremely  low birth weight babies (less than 1,000 grams or just over 2 pounds), were found to be at increased risk for particular mental health problems, beginning in childhood and extending at least into their 30s. As children, they were significantly more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in almost every study included in the review. Adolescents were also at greater risk for ADHD and social problems. Adults born with extremely low birth weight reported significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression and shyness, as well as significantly lower levels of social functioning.