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A recent study suggested that women who deliver infants weighing less than 5.5 pounds might face a higher risk of experiencing memory and cognitive difficulties later in life compared to those with infants born at a normal weight.

While the study published in an online edition of Neurology on June 12, 2024, doesn't establish causation, it suggests that individuals with a history of delivering low-birth-weight infants may face cognitive challenges in adulthood equivalent to aging by one to two years.

"Previous research has shown that people who have had a low-birth-weight delivery have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure," said study author Diana C. Soria-Contreras, Ph.D., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, Neuroscience News reported.

"Our study found that a history of having a child with a low birth weight may also be a marker of poorer cognition later in life."

The research involved 15,323 female participants, with an average age of 62, who completed thinking and memory tests. Of these, 8% had a history of low-birth-weight delivery.

Participants completed questionnaires about their pregnancy complications, birth outcomes, and other relevant information, alongside a series of thinking and memory tests.

Results showed that moms with low-birth-weight deliveries scored lower on memory and attention tests, with the difference equivalent to one to two years of additional aging.

Even after adjusting for influencing factors like age and high blood pressure, the correlation between low birth weight and cognitive function remained consistent.

Furthermore, the study highlighted a cumulative effect, with individuals experiencing multiple low-birth-weight deliveries showing lower cognitive scores.

Despite these findings, the authors emphasized the need for further research to confirm these associations and explore potential interventions to support brain health in individuals with a history of low-birth-weight deliveries.

"Future research is needed to confirm our findings and to look at whether screening women with a history of low-birth-weight deliveries for cognitive issues and taking steps to promote their brain health could help prevent or delay cognitive impairment and dementia later on," Soria-Contreras stated.

It's important to note that the study's participant pool predominantly comprised non-Hispanic white individuals, limiting the generalizability of the results to other populations.