explanations, Van Lieshout said. For one, he said, tiny preemies are often subjected to medical procedures, and those “early-life stressors” may have lasting developmental effects in some cases.
Also, as a group, preemies have more health problems and a greater risk of low IQ than their peers, which could affect their mental well-being, he said.
Preemies do, however, seem to have a lower risk of at least one mental health issue: alcohol and drug abuse. In this study, the preterm group was less likely to have problems with substance abuse, though that “protective effect” was not seen among those exposed to prenatal steroids.
What might explain the steroid findings? Van Lieshout agreed that there’s uncertainty. The medications do cross the placenta, he said, and could potentially affect the fetal brain, but this study does not prove that’s the case.
“The findings definitely need to be replicated in other studies,” Van Lieshout said.
“We know that steroids are very important for moms to get before delivery if they’re in danger of preterm birth,” he added. “I wouldn’t want anyone to avoid steroids because of this.”
Although the reasons that contribute toward preterm birth varies, it is recommended to take extreme precaution amongst African American families. Learn more about preterm births and causes here on BlackDoctor.org.
SOURCES: Ryan Van Lieshout, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor, psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Brandon Korman, Psy.D., chief, neuropsychology, Miami Children’s Hospital, Miami, Fla.; March 2015, online, Pediatrics