A new study has revealed that women who were born earlier are more likely to develop complications during their pregnancies.
The Canadian research published this week revealed that women who were born premature are at a higher risk of developing complications such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or eclampsia.
Women who were born at 32 weeks were 20 per cent more likely to develop complications in pregnancy than women born at 40 weeks.
“Before pregnancy, women born preterm may have undiagnosed risk factors for the studied pregnancy complications related to their preterm birth,” the study reveals.
Women who are born earlier are more likely to have complicated pregnancies
Researchers responsible for conducting the study said that doctors should question the age at which their patient was born and be more aware that women born earlier pose higher risk pregnancies.
“The impact of the patients’ preterm birth on obstetric care should be taken into account in the care of pregnant patients, as well as in the allocation of resources in the health-care system,” the study concludes.
The research was conducted in Quebec and analysed both women who were born preterm and women who were born at 40 weeks.