Title: Premature babies more likely to suffer mental disorders as adults
Headings: Premature babies more likely to suffer mental disorders as adults
Premature babies more likely to suffer mental disorders as adults
Content: The new research, reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, is based on a study of almost 1.5 million Swedish birth and medical records from 1973 and 1985. Every child admitted to hospital with a first episode of a psychiatric disorder by 2002 was identified. Dr Chiara Nosarti, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, said: " We found a very strong link between premature birth and a range of psychiatric disorders. "Since we considered only the most severe cases that resulted in hospitalisation, it may be that in real terms this link is even stronger. "However, it is important to remember that even with the increased risk, these disorders still only affect 1 per cent to 6 per cent of the population." An estimated one in 13 children are born prematurely in the UK each year. As a group, they are more likely than other children to require extra school support and to suffer a range of physical problems." Dr Nosarti added: " We believe that the increased risk of mental disorders in those born very prematurely can be explained by subtle changes in brain development.