CircleBumpCheckedFilledMedicalBookmarkBookmarkTickBookmarkAddCheckBoxCheckBoxFilled

Premature Births Can Affect Adult Relationships, Study Finds

save article
profile picture of Cassie Kreitner
By Cassie Kreitner, Senior Editor
Updated March 2, 2017
Hero Image

Paging Cupid to the delivery room: Carrying to term may set baby up for a more favorable love life in adulthood.

According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics, twenty-somethings born preterm (before 37 weeks) are less likely to move in with a romantic partner or have sexual intercourse than their peers born even one week later.

Researchers found that those who were born early or late preterm were also less likely to find themselves attractive, and more likely to still live with their parents. The findings, which compared survey responses from 753 twenty-something adults born in Finland between 1985 and 1989, showed that preterm birth can have an adverse effect on social health, in addition to the more obvious physical effects.

Previous studies have found that individuals born preterm might be more cautious and less risk-taking than those born at full term, which might also be reflected in our findings of lower likelihood of romantic relations," says lead study author Dr. Tuija Mannisto, a researcher and fellow in clinical chemistry with the National Institute for Health and Welfare and the Northern Finland Laboratory Centre Nordlab in Oulu, Finland.

While preemie birth rates have fortunately dropped in the US, if your baby is born a few weeks early, don’t panic—it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is destined to be a lonely, unhappy adult.

“What we have seen with kids is that babies who are born preterm tend to be more risk averse and shy and more fearful,” says Dr. Kristi Watterberg, a neonatologist at the University of New Mexico and chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Fetus and Newborn, who wasn’t involved in the study.

“But on the other hand, we have seen that these kids tend to grow up and develop a good life, a life the kids and their parents are happy with.”

One of the best things you can do to help your preemie along is to provide plenty of skin-to-skin contact in the first few weeks. Holding baby in a soothing way helps them develop while also preventing overstimulation. Mimicking the sounds they make is also a great way to help them engage in their surroundings and start building their social skills early on.

save article
ADVERTISEMENT

Next on Your Reading List

mother using a nursing pillow while breastfeeding baby
Nursing Pillows Are Now Required to Meet New Federal Safety Standards
By Wyndi Kappes
young girl packing backpack at home
Teach Your Kids to Be More Self-Sufficient With This Simple Change
By Wyndi Kappes
Vick Hope and Calvin Harris attend The BRIT Awards 2025 at Intercontinental Hotel on March 01, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
DJ Calvin Harris and Vick Hope Expecting Their First Baby Together
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Domino Kirke and Penn Badgley attend a screening for Season 5 of Netflix's "You" at The Plaza Hotel on April 23, 2025 in New York City
Penn Badgley on the Two Words Every Parent Should Say More Often
By Wyndi Kappes
Rupert Grint attends the Apple TV+'s "Servant" Season 4 New York Premiere at Walter Reade Theater on January 09, 2023 in New York City
Harry Potter Star Rupert Grint Welcomes Baby Girl
By Wyndi Kappes
mother and daughter enjoying cereal breakfast at home
FDA and HHS Announce Plan to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes
By Wyndi Kappes
mom and toddler laughing outside of house
These Are the Best States for Working Moms in 2025
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
pregnant woman looking in the mirror at home
This Honest Look at Pregnancy Face Changes Is Making Moms Feel Seen
By Wyndi Kappes
Christian McCaffrey and Olivia Culpo pose for a photo on the red carpet during NFL Honors at the Symphony Hall on February 9, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona.
Christian McCaffrey Shares Olivia Culpo's Surprising Pregnancy Craving
By Wyndi Kappes
mom holding baby while working at home
White House's $5K Baby Bonus Sparks Talk on What Parents Really Need
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
doctor talking to pregnant couple
New Research Identifies Nearly 300 Treatable Genetic Conditions
By Wyndi Kappes
husband giving wife a gift for mother's day
Mom's "Foolproof Guide to Mother's Day Gifts" Goes Viral
By Wyndi Kappes
MMR vaccine
Measles Outbreak Spreads to 25 States: What Parents Need to Know
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
gerber soothe n chew sticks recall
Gerber Issues Recall Reminder for Soothe ‘N’ Chew Teething Sticks
By Wyndi Kappes
Shohei Ohtani (L) and Mamiko Tanaka arrive at the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation's 2024 Blue Diamond Gala at Dodger Stadium on May 02, 2024 in Los Angeles, California
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Mamiko Tanaka Welcome Their First Child
By Wyndi Kappes
sister with womb transplant gives birth to baby in the UK
Sisters Make History With UK’s First Womb Transplant Birth
By Wyndi Kappes
buford the ranch dog sitting on house porch
Lost Toddler Found Safe Thanks to a Hero Ranch Dog
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
woman looking at time on watch
The Viral TikTok Series That’s Helping Parents Tackle Their To-Dos
By Wyndi Kappes
target good and gather baby food recall
Target Recalls 25,000 Packages of Baby Food Due to Lead Concerns
By Wyndi Kappes
pregnant woman holding a sliced avocado
Eating This Fruit During Pregnancy May Lower Baby’s Food Allergy Risk
By Wyndi Kappes
ADVERTISEMENT
Article removed.
Article removed.
Name added. View Your List