Term born GA 37–41 weeks (n=99) | Moderately preterm GA 32–36 weeks (n=116) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Neonatal characteristics | |||
GA in weeks | |||
Mean (SD) | 39.45 (0.98) | 34.66 (1.35) | |
32 weeks (%) | 10.3% | ||
33 weeks (%) | 11.2% | ||
34 weeks (%) | 17.2% | ||
35 weeks (%) | 24.1% | ||
36 weeks (%) | 37.1% | ||
37 weeks (%) | 4.0% | ||
38 weeks (%) | 11.1% | ||
39 weeks (%) | 32.3% | ||
40 weeks (%) | 40.4% | ||
41 weeks (%) | 12.1% | ||
Birth weight in grams | |||
Mean (SD) | 3575 (460) | 2575 (508) | |
Range | 2795–5330 | 1420–3850 | |
Days in hospital | |||
Mean (SD) | 0.42 (1.01) | 12.00 (9.84) | |
Range | 0–6 | 1–42 | |
Need for oxygen* (%) | 0% | 22.4% | |
Phototherapy (%) | 0% | 35.3% | |
Hypoglycaemia (%) | 0% | 5.2% | |
Demographic characteristics | p Value† | ||
Age in months‡ | |||
Mean (SD) | 23.71 (0.52) | 23.60 (0.63) | 0.20 |
Range | 23–25 | 23–27 | |
Gender (% boys) | 45.5% | 57.8% | 0.07 |
First-born (%) | 51.5% | 62.9% | 0.09 |
Ethnic origin (% Dutch) | 95.9% | 96.5% | 0.42 |
Maternal age at birth (years) | |||
Mean (SD) | 32.52 (4.20) | 31.04 (4.43) | 0.01 |
Range | 20–43 | 21–41 | |
Maternal educational level | |||
Low§ | 3.0% | 7.8% | |
Medium¶ | 12.1% | 35.3% | <0.001 |
High** | 84.8% | 56.9% |
*That is, additional oxygen right after birth, nasal cannula and/or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP; n=17).
†ANCOVAs used for child age and maternal age. χ2 tests used for gender, first-born, ethnic origin and maternal educational level.
‡Age at Bayley-III assessment.
§No education, elementary school, special education or lower general secondary education.
¶High school or vocational education.
**College, university or higher.
ANCOVAs, analyses of covariance; GA, gestational age.