Preterm Birth Linked With More Psychotropic Prescriptions in Young Adulthood

Adolescents and young adults who were born preterm have higher rates of psychotropic drug prescriptions than their peers who were born at full term, according to a study published online in JAMA Network Open. 

“Adolescents and young adults born preterm had higher odds, compared with those born at full term, for prescription of all psychotropic drugs studied: antidepressants, psychostimulants, anxiolytics, hypnotics and sedatives, and antipsychotics,” researchers wrote. “Odds were greatest for extremely and very preterm birth groups but was also found for moderately or late preterm groups.”

The cohort study included 505,030 individuals born in Norway between 1989 and 1998. Researchers looked at psychotropic drug prescriptions received from ages 10 to 23 years and compared rates for 4 gestational-age-at-birth groups: extremely preterm (23 weeks through 27 weeks), very preterm (28 weeks through 31 weeks), moderately or late preterm (32 weeks through 36 weeks), and full term.

Preterm Birth, Poor Fetal Growth Linked With Increased Depression Risk

Overall, individuals born preterm had increased risk of prescriptions for psychotropic drugs, the study found. For the extremely preterm group, odds ratios were 2.1 for any psychotropic drug, 1.7 for antidepressants, 1.7 for hypnotics or sedatives, 2.4 for anxiolytics, 2.4 for antipsychotics, and 2.7 for psychostimulants. In comparison, odds ratios for the moderately to late preterm group were 1.1 for any psychotropic drug, 1.1 for antidepressants, 1.1 for hypnotics or sedatives, 1.1 for anxiolytics, 1.1 for antipsychotics, and 1.2 for psychostimulants.  

In a sibling comparison designed to control for shared family confounding, increases in odds were smaller and, for several groups, not significant.

“Children born preterm have increased mental and social risks in adolescent and young adult years. This increased risk may be largely associated with factors involving genetics and childhood environment for the later preterm groups,” researchers concluded. 

“Trajectories established during adolescence are associated with later mental health status and lifetime opportunities, and this period could thus be an important target for health-promoting measures and preventive measures for this group.”

—Jolynn Tumolo 

Reference 

Bachmann CS, Risnes K, Bjørngaard JH, Schei J, Pape K. Association of preterm birth with prescription of psychotropic drugs in adolescence and young adulthood. JAMA Network Open. 2021;4(3):e211420.