(March 25, 2008 - Insidermedicine) Those who were born before term are more likely to die during childhood and less likely to reproduce in adulthood, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here are some facts about preterm births:

•    Ideally, babies are born 40 weeks after they were conceived. Children born less than 37 weeks after conception are considered preterm.

•    Preterm births are associated with higher death and disability rates.

•    Sometimes a preterm birth is unavoidable, such as when the mother goes into labor early and it can't be stopped or when the pregnancy is endangering the health of the mother or her unborn child.

Researchers out of Duke University Medical Center used data on over 1 million births to compare the rates of death during childhood and reproduction in adulthood between those who were born before 37 weeks and those who were born at term.

Among boys and girls born 22 to 27 week after conception, death rates in early childhood (age 1 to before age 6) and in late childhood (age 6 to before age 13) were about 5 to 10 times higher than those of children born at term. Among boys who were born between 28 to 32 weeks after conception, the risk of death was more than double that of those born at term.

For preterm children who did live to adulthood, the chance of having a child of their own was reduced by up to 76%, and women were more likely to have preterm infants themselves.

Today's research highlights the long-term risks associated with being born preterm. It demonstrates the need to continue research into what types of medical care can help improve the health and well being of these individuals.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.