Children born preterm are at increased risk for delays in thinking, language, and movement skills. Clinical and home factors, such as brain injury and socioeconomic status, are known to play a role, while biological factors have been studied less. A prospective cohort study from Canada followed 102 children born between 24 and 32 weeks of pregnancy until the age of 3.

Preterm birth is a leading cause of childhood illness, and its effects can continue long after an infant leaves the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Male sex is a known risk factor for complications around birth, but less is known about how sex shapes health in early childhood.

Having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is psychologically stressful, and many parents experience symptoms of traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression. Parents need immediate and sufficient support during this time, yet the kind and quality of support they receive can vary between units.