Motor abilities in adults born with very low birthweight: A study of two birth cohorts from Finland and Norway

Abstract

In this study of two birth cohorts from Finland and Norway, the ‘Helsinki Study of Very Low Birth Weight Adults’ and the ‘NTNU Low Birth Weight in a Lifetime Perspective’ cohorts, the authors investigated motor abilities in adults born preterm (<37 weeks' gestation) with very low birthweight (VLBW; birthweight ≤1500 grams). Previous studies have shown that children, adolescents, and young adults born preterm are more likely to experience motor difficulties than their peers. However, it has not been clear if these difficulties persist later in adulthood.

A total of 118 participants born with VLBW and 147 participants born at term were included. Four motor tests were used to measure different aspects of motor function at the mean age of 36 years. The results showed that the adults born preterm with VLBW scored poorer on all motor tests compared with controls, especially on timed performances and tasks demanding speed. The results were similar when factors that might influence motor abilities were considered, such as height, handedness, parental education, and neurosensory impairments (cerebral palsy, blindness, deafness or hearing aid, and/or intellectual disability).