Premature birth before 29 weeks is associated with an increased risk of developing panic disorder

A study of German adults born between 1969 and 2002 revealed that those born before the 29th week of pregnancy (very early) have a higher risk of developing panic disorder later in life. Shock was present in 2% to 4% of people born after the 29th week of pregnancy but in 14% of those born before. The research was published in Journal of Psychiatric Research.

A normal human pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, measured from the first day of the last menstrual period. However, some children appear early. If the baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, this is called prematurity. Premature birth can occur for various reasons, such as infection, problems with the placenta, or multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets). Maternal health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or a history of preterm birth also increase the risk of preterm birth.

Premature babies may face immediate health problems, such as difficulty breathing and feeding, due to underdeveloped organs. Prematurity is the main cause of newborn diseases. It is estimated that 15 million babies are born prematurely every year worldwide, which is 11% of all babies born. Although many premature babies survive thanks to modern medical technology, premature birth carries long-term health risks, including growth retardation, complications learning disabilities, and visual or hearing impairments, among others.

Study author Jonas Tesarz and his colleagues sought to determine whether people born prematurely are more likely to develop anxiety and panic disorders later in life compared to those born later. in advance. Previous studies have linked childhood stress and parental deprivation to anxiety disorders later in life, but questions remain about whether early puberty also increases a person’s risk of suffering from such diseases. Researchers speculate that people born prematurely will have higher levels of anxiety later in life, influenced by the stress during birth and the intensive long-term care required.

Researchers analyzed data from the Gutenberg Prematurity Study, conducted by the Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center-University Mainz in Germany. The study included 40,189 newborns born between 1969 and 2002, all of whom were adults at the time of the analysis (aged 18-52). From this group, the researchers selected 427 participants, prioritizing as many premature births as possible.

For each participant, the researchers collected medical history data from university medical records. The presence of panic disorder was assessed using the panic module of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Participants were divided by gestational age at birth: full term (born after at least 37 weeks of gestation), preterm (born between 33 and 36 weeks), premature (born between 29 and 32 weeks), and premature (born. before the 29th week of pregnancy). Women made up 57% of the participants.

The results showed that 18 participants (4.2%) met the criteria for panic disorder. The prevalence of panic disorder was similar in all birth cohorts after the 29th week of pregnancy, ranging from 2% to 4%. However, of those born before the 29th week, 14% had a panic disorder.

Additionally, compared to participants without panic disorder, those with panic disorder were more likely to be female, unemployed, and have lower levels of education. They also spent longer in intensive care, more time in heat, and had higher carbon dioxide in their blood after birth, indicating difficulty breathing or lung dysfunction. When the researchers reported a longer period of time spent in intensive care, the relationship between birth before week 29 and panic disorder disappeared.

“This study provides the first evidence that preterm birth is associated with an increased risk of panic disorder later in life. People born in GA at less than 29 weeks [before the 29^th gestational week] showed a 4-fold higher prevalence than those born at full term,” the study authors concluded. “Adjustment to ICU length of stay after delivery [intensive care unit] You’ve always ruled out a link between preterm birth and later onset of panic disorder. This article suggests that intensive prenatal care may be important for mental health later in life, which reflects some risk of illness. ”

The study makes an important contribution to understanding how experiences after birth can affect mental health later in life. However, it should be noted that the number of participants with panic disorder was low, as was the number of people born before the 29th week of pregnancy.

The study, “The impact of prematurity on the onset of panic disorder in later life – Results from the First Gutenberg Prematurity Study (GPS),” was written by Jonas Tesarz, Alexander K. Schuster, Eva Mildenberger, Michael S. Urschitz, Mareike Ernst, Manfred Beutel, Michelle Hermes, Bernhard Stoffelns, Fred Zepp, Norbert Pfeiffer, and Achim Fieß.