Babies born just 1 or 2 weeks before their 40-week gestation due date are more likely to develop learning difficulties such as autism or dyslexia, according to a British study published on Tuesday.
The findings show that even babies born at 39 weeks -- the point at which many women who choose to have a Cesarean section delivery -- have an increased risk of a developing a learning disability compared with babies born a week later at 40 weeks.
Scientists in Scotland, analyzing the birth history of more than 400,000 schoolchildren, found that while babies born at 40 weeks have a 4 percent risk of learning difficulties, those born at 37 to 39 weeks of gestation have a 5.1 percent risk.
It is already known that a baby born prematurely -- for example at 24 weeks of gestation -- is more likely to have learning difficulties. But the risks for babies born in the 24 to 40 week range had not previously been studied.
Around a third of babies are born between 37 and 39 weeks of gestation, either by cesarean section or natural vaginal delivery.
Pell, whose study was published in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal, stressed that cesarean sections were not the only factor behind early-term births, since some women go into labor naturally before 40 weeks of gestation.
But she said doctors and women should consider the risks of learning difficulties when thinking about a cesarean.
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