Exploring the Link between Postterm Birth and Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Comprehensive Review on Developmental Coordination Disorder

ABSTRACT

A postterm birth is one that occurs after completed 42 weeks of pregnancy, is linked to higher rates of newborn morbidity and mortality. Despite the fact that babies delivered one or two weeks early have lifetime effects, there is scant evidence that babies born after their due date have lasting detrimental effects. The infant's risk of infection, delayed stillbirth, and difficulties during delivery increases if crossed their due date. Hence, if more hazards were associated with extending the pregnancy than with intervening, procedures might be utilized to accelerate delivery. The majority of the research currently available on postterm consequences focused on short-term observations, even though long-term effects might be far more significant. The incidence of DCD which ranges from 5% to 6%, is sufficient to designate it as one of the most common disorders among school-age children. Previous research indicated significant risk of DCD in infants born preterm. Whether infants born at varying gestational ages including postterm birth are more likely to experience developmental coordination disorder DCD than children born at full term is yet uncertain. Therefore, the purpose of this review study is to present a summary of the data connecting postterm birth to DCD. Using specific keywords, a comprehensive systematic search of internet databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) revealed up very few research on the topic of postterm births which demand for further postterm cohorts throughout adolescence in order to completely identify the long-term health concern and provide remedies designed to lessen the negative impacts of post-term births.

Keywords - Child development, Child motor impairment, Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), Gestational age, Postterm birth