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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Being born small has long-term consequences. A large Norwegian study found that children born small for gestational age (SGA) scored lower in math and reading from ages 10–15, with the gap persisting well into adolescence. Meanwhile, early language and motor delays seen in babies born at 37 weeks largely resolved by age 5 — suggesting fetal size and gestational age affect development in distinct ways.
Being born small doesn't just affect early milestones — it can shape academic outcomes for years. A large longitudinal study of over 92,000 Norwegian children found that those born small for gestational age (SGA) consistently scored lower in math and reading throughout late childhood and adolescence, while children born large for gestational age (LGA) showed a slight math advantage by ages 14–15.
On the flip side, babies born at 37 weeks (early term) showed poorer language and motor skills in infancy and toddlerhood, but those differences largely faded by age 5 — offering some reassurance to parents of early-term newborns.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: These findings highlight that fetal growth restriction — not just prematurity — carries lasting neurodevelopmental consequences. Clinicians should factor this into obstetric counseling and long-term developmental monitoring, though the authors caution against changing delivery management based on these results alone.
