Babies conceived in spring more likely born preterm

Children conceived in the spring are more likely to be born preterm than those conceived at other times of the year, according to a new analysis. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh reported that women conceiving in the summer had the lowest rate of preterm birth, 8.4 percent, with rates steadily rising for those who conceived in the fall (8.8 percent), winter (9.1 percent) and spring (9.2 percent). They presented their findings yesterday before a meeting of the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine being held this week in San Francisco. More than 500,000 babies are born too soon in the United States each year, and the preterm birth rate has increased by more than 30 percent since 1981. Babies who survive face a higher risk of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, vision and hearing loss as well as other developmental problems.

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