Maternal age and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants < 29 weeks gestational age

Objective The objective of this study is to assess the impact of maternal age on neurodevelopmental (ND) outcomes of infants < 29 weeks gestational age (GA) at 18-24 months. Study design A retrospective cohort study of preterm infants < 29 weeks GA admitted to Canadian tertiary NICUs was performed. The primary outcome was a composite of death or ND impairment (NDI)/significant NDI (sNDI) at 18-24 months. Association between maternal age and outcome was assessed across maternal age groups (15-19, 20-34, 35-39 and >= 40 years) using logistic regression after adjusting for confounders. Results Of 3691 eligible infants, 2652 with complete data were included in the analysis. Significant differences in maternal characteristics existed across age groups. The only difference in neonatal characteristics was the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (p < 0.01). There was no association between maternal age and death or NDI/sNDI after controlling for confounders. Conclusion Maternal age is not associated with differences in NDI/sNDI rates among Canadian preterm infants < 29 weeks GA.