Risk of developmental delay increases exponentially as gestational age of preterm infants decreases: a cohort study at age 4 years

The risk of developmental delay increases exponentially with decreasing gestational age below 36 weeks' gestation on all developmental domains of the ASQ. Adjustment for covariates did not alter the pattern of exponential increase in developmental risk with decreasing gestational age. We speculate that both direct perinatal cerebral injuries and tropic and maturational brain disturbances are involved.