Maths skills count for premature babies

A new study conducted by the University of Warwick links being born premature with low wages. Researchers have identified a link between being born preterm and decreased intelligence, reading and in particular mathematical ability and have highlighted an effect on earnings into adulthood. Head of the research, Professor Dieter Wolke said: "This study is of importance because it could be used to flag up the need for extra support at school for children who are born pre-term." The research Preterm Birth and Adult Wealth: Mathematics Skills Count is published in the Association of Psychological Science's journal Psychological Science. For the study, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the researchers examined data from two large, longitudinal studies: the National Child Development Study follows children born in 1958 and the British Cohort Study follows children born in 1970. In total data on more than 15,000 individuals were examined. Both of the studies recruited all children born in a single week in England, Scotland, and Wales, and researchers have followed up with these children through to adulthood. Those participants who were born preterm, which is at less than 37 weeks, were compared to those who were born full-term.