Impact of low birth weight on academic attainment during adolescence: A comprehensive retrospective cohort study using linked data

Abstract

Background

This study addresses a critical knowledge gap by exploring the intricate relationship between low birth weight (LBW) and the heightened risk of suboptimal academic achievement during adolescence through a comprehensive retrospective cohort design.

Methods

In this registry-based cohort study, meticulously linked health and curriculum-based test data for individuals born in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between 2003 and 2005 were employed. Birth weight data were carefully sourced from the NSW perinatal data collection (PDC). The educational performance of offspring was thoroughly evaluated using the National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) during grade 9, approximately at 14 years of age.

Results

After rigorous adjustments for potential confounders, findings revealed a compelling narrative: LBW adolescents demonstrated an elevated susceptibility to not meeting national minimum standards across all domains, encompassing spelling [OR, 1.59 (95%CI 1.48–1.69)], writing [OR, 1.51 (95%CI 1.41–1.61)], reading [OR, 1.38 (95%CI 1.29–1.48)], and numeracy [OR, 1.52 (95%CI 1.40–1.63)]. Notably, LBW boys exhibited a more pronounced inclination towards diminished academic performance compared to their female counterparts.

Conclusions

This comprehensive retrospective cohort study, based on linked data, unequivocally establishes LBW as significantly associated with an increased vulnerability to substandard educational achievement during adolescence. Particularly robust effects were observed in females across all outcomes. Aimed at investigating whether LBW serves as a predictive factor for later academic difficulties, this study underscores the imperative for the adoption and fortification of preventative and early intervention strategies to curtail the prevalence of LBW-associated academic underachievement in later adolescence.