First published on otago.ac.nz

We’re proud to have supported the long-running New Zealand 1986 Very Low Birthweight (VLBW) Follow-up Study, led by Professor Brian Darlow, which has just published new findings in the New Zealand Medical Journal (29 August).

The study has been looking at health and developmental outcomes from birth to young adulthood for New Zealanders born in 1986 who were born very early (premature) and with very low birthweight (less than 1500 grams).

The overview shows most were thriving in their third decade of life.

“Very low birthweight babies take up a large proportion of resources in our Neonatal Intensive Care Units, but as they grow, they hold their own, which is very positive news,” says the University of Otago, Christchurch’s Emeritus Professor Brian Darlow, who has led the study since its inception.

“Despite their more challenging start in life, when last tested, the majority of VLBW adults were generally living healthy, productive lives similar to babies born at the same time and at a healthy weight, with the cohort’s mean values for nearly everything we measure within the normal range for age.”

This work has been made possible thanks to the support of Cure Kids and our community – thank you!

Read more here.