Consequences of prematurity on adult morbidities

Early life events play a key role in the development of adult diseases. Survival is promoted by the developmental adaptation to environment although advantage in the short term implies a long-term cost with regard to the development of adult morbidities. This is particularly true for the infant born prematurely as preterm birth is accompanied by a disruption of the normal organogenesis of multiple organ systems. This review will examine the effect of prematurity on the development of cardiovascular, kidney, respiratory and metabolic diseases in later life in addition to the neurodevelopment disabilities associated with preterm birth.