Preterm Infants With Neonatal Complications Face Higher Risk of Childhood Hypertension, Finds Cohort Study

Preterm birth affects nearly 1 in 10 infants in the US. Advances in neonatal care have boosted survival rates to nearly 95%, meaning more adults today carry a history of prematurity.

Hypertension in children and adolescents is on the rise, with 2–5% diagnosed and up to 13–18% showing elevated blood pressure (BP). Childhood BP is a strong predictor of adult hypertension and is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes such as myocardial infarction and stroke later in life. This makes early identification and intervention crucial.

A cohort study using longitudinal data from the Boston Birth Cohort (1999–2014) analyzed 2,459 infants, including 695 preterm births and 468 NICU admissions. Findings revealed that preterm infants admitted to the NICU—with or without neonatal complications—had the highest risk of persistent hypertension in childhood.

While prematurity has long been linked to cardiovascular risk, this study uniquely distinguishes the effects of prematurity from those of neonatal complications. The results highlight that both prematurity and NICU-related complications independently contribute to hypertension risk.

1 in 10 Premature Infants Faces Hypertension

Preterm birth affects nearly 1 in 10 infants in the US. Advances in neonatal care have boosted survival rates to nearly 95%, meaning more adults today carry a history of prematurity. However, survival is accompanied by increased long-term health risks, especially CVD. Research has even documented structural cardiac changes in adults born preterm, underscoring the importance of considering preterm birth as a potential risk factor during hypertension assessments.

Objective of the study published in JAMA Network was to investigate prospective associations of prematurity and NICU complications with the development of childhood hypertension, while accounting for prenatal and perinatal influences.