Being born before term has long been linked to neurological and cardiovascular defects, even death, but, according to a new study the New England Journal of Medicine, prematurity appears to affects personality as well.

For the study, Dag Moster, MD, PhD, of the University of Bergen in Norway and colleagues analyzed national registry information on 903,402 infants without birth defects who were born between 1967 and 1983 and looked for medical or social disabilities documented through 2003.

The researchers found that those born before the week 37 of gestation had a much higher risk of a range of medical and social problems compared to those born in due time.

Analyzing the medical problems, the study found that the rate of cerebral palsy was 9.1 percent among the earliest preemies born at 23 to 27 weeks compared to 0.1 for those born at term. Also, the prevalence of mental retardation was 4.4 percent among the most premature infants compared to 0.4 percent among full-term babies. Finally yet importantly, less than 2 percent of full-term babies were receiving a disability pension as adult vs. nearly 11 percent of the most premature infants.

From a social point of view, the study found that being born before term was linked to education level achieved, income, receipt of Social Security benefits and starting a family. More exactly, preemies were 10 percent less likely to finish high school, 20 percent less likely to have completed college, 20 percent less likely to have a high income, 20 percent less likely to have become parents and 20 percent more likely to receive Social Security benefits than full-term babies.

“The pessimistic view [of our study] is that we have demonstrated an increased risk for a broad spectrum of medical disabilities due to decreased gestational age, and for those without medical disabilities, a lesser but significant risk for a broad spectrum of social outcomes,” Moster said.

There is also an optimistic side of the study showing that preterm babies who did not suffer medical disabilities “completed higher education and seemed to be functioning well.”

The findings emphasize the need of a good health-care and educational system for premature children, which involves early stimulations and help into adulthood, according to Maureen Kack, a neonatologist at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.