Does being born early permanently affect a child's academic performance in school?

Health · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: New research tracking over one million Australian students reveals how gestational age at birth influences long-term educational outcomes. While early preterm birth shows clear links to lower test scores, the data suggests that for many children, family environment plays a more significant role than the timing of their arrival.

A massive cohort study involving 1,095,816 children in New South Wales and Victoria examined the relationship between gestational age and standardized numeracy and reading scores. Researchers tracked students in grade 3, aged 8 to 9, and grade 9, aged 14 to 15, to determine if preterm birth creates lasting academic hurdles. The study found that children born at 39 to 40 weeks served as the baseline for comparison, with performance metrics showing a stepwise decline as gestational age decreased.

The most significant academic impacts were observed in children born extremely preterm, specifically those at 23 to 27 weeks. In the full-cohort analysis, these students showed clinically meaningful differences in both numeracy and reading scores compared to those born at full term. However, the study uncovered a crucial nuance: when researchers compared siblings within the same families, these performance gaps narrowed significantly. This suggests that many of the observed differences in children born between 28 and 38 weeks are likely driven by shared familial factors rather than the biological timing of birth alone.

These findings carry important implications for educational policy and early intervention. The authors argue that the primary focus should remain on preventing the earliest preterm births, as these cases show the most pronounced independent association with lower academic performance. For children born before 28 weeks, the data supports prioritizing early identification of learning difficulties and providing targeted support. By distinguishing between the effects of extreme prematurity and broader familial influences, the study provides a clearer roadmap for supporting student development across the Australian school system.

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