Preterm birth: the sibling effect
Thesis event information
Date and time of the thesis defence
Place of the thesis defence
Auditorium F202 (Aapistie 5B), Kontinkangas campus
Topic of the dissertation
Preterm birth: the sibling effect
Doctoral candidate
Master of Science Wnurinham Silva
Faculty and unit
University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health
Subject of study
Epidemiology
Opponent
Professor Linnea Karlsson, University of Turku
Custos
Professor Sylvain Sebert, University of Oulu
Preterm birth: the sibling effect
Globally, one in ten children is born preterm (before 37 weeks of gestation). This represents a large proportion of families with a preterm-born child. Families with a preterm-born child may experience changes in family dynamics and processes due to the specific health characteristics and demands of the preterm-born child. Research has shown that preterm birth may be associated with parental mental health and wellbeing challenges. However, very little is known about the impact of preterm birth on older brothers or sisters of the preterm-born child.
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the impact of preterm birth on cognitive function, quality of life, and mental health among term-born siblings (born after 36 weeks of gestation), and on subsequent pregnancies of the mother.
The thesis comprises three studies. The first study was a systematic review of the literature to assess the available knowledge on the impact of preterm birth on siblings. The second study used data from 65,711 children from four European birth cohorts to investigate whether term-born children with preterm-born siblings have an increased risk of internalising (for example, anxiety and depression) and/or externalising (for example, impulsivity and aggressiveness) behavioural problems. The third study used data from 52,502 pregnancies from 24,502 women in Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, to investigate the likelihood of having additional pregnancies following a preterm birth.
The results showed that, term-born children with preterm-born siblings did not have an increased risk of internalising or externalising behavioural problems, when compared to term-born children with term-born siblings. We also found that in the Matlab area, although preterm birth was not associated with additional pregnancies, the death of a previous child increased the likelihood of women having another pregnancy.
In general, the results of the three studies provide encouraging evidence for families with preterm-born children, as they show no evidence that preterm birth can be a risk factor for mental health problems among siblings or for parental reproductive outcomes. Nonetheless, it is essential that siblings of preterm-born children are included in family-centred care approaches and that their health and wellbeing are monitored.
The aim of this thesis was to investigate the impact of preterm birth on cognitive function, quality of life, and mental health among term-born siblings (born after 36 weeks of gestation), and on subsequent pregnancies of the mother.
The thesis comprises three studies. The first study was a systematic review of the literature to assess the available knowledge on the impact of preterm birth on siblings. The second study used data from 65,711 children from four European birth cohorts to investigate whether term-born children with preterm-born siblings have an increased risk of internalising (for example, anxiety and depression) and/or externalising (for example, impulsivity and aggressiveness) behavioural problems. The third study used data from 52,502 pregnancies from 24,502 women in Matlab, a rural area in Bangladesh, to investigate the likelihood of having additional pregnancies following a preterm birth.
The results showed that, term-born children with preterm-born siblings did not have an increased risk of internalising or externalising behavioural problems, when compared to term-born children with term-born siblings. We also found that in the Matlab area, although preterm birth was not associated with additional pregnancies, the death of a previous child increased the likelihood of women having another pregnancy.
In general, the results of the three studies provide encouraging evidence for families with preterm-born children, as they show no evidence that preterm birth can be a risk factor for mental health problems among siblings or for parental reproductive outcomes. Nonetheless, it is essential that siblings of preterm-born children are included in family-centred care approaches and that their health and wellbeing are monitored.
Created 21.4.2026 | Updated 22.4.2026