Evidence mapPaperPMID 39475202Full record

SynthesisActa obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica2025

Cognitive and academic outcomes of large-for-gestational-age babies born at early term: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xuan Zhao, Alice Poskett, Marie Stracke, Siobhan Quenby, Dieter Wolke

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Fetal size, gestational age, and cognitive performance at 5 years in term-born children: Four national cohorts' study.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Xuan ZhaoDepartment of Psychology, Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Group, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-1664-2078
Alice PoskettWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Marie StrackeDepartment of Psychology, Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Group, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.ORCID 0009-0005-2964-5173
Siobhan QuenbyWarwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-3221-5471
Dieter WolkeDepartment of Psychology, Lifespan Health and Wellbeing Group, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0304-268X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionEarly induction of labor (37 MATERIAL AND

methodsThe protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database under the registration no. CRD42024528626. Five databases were searched from their inception until March 27, 2024, without language restrictions. Studies reporting childhood cognitive or academic outcomes after early term or large-for-gestational-age births were included. Two reviewers independently screened the selected studies. One reviewer extracted the data, and the other double-checked the data. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. In addition to narrative synthesis, meta-analyses were conducted where possible.

resultsOf the 2505 identified articles, no study investigated early-term delivery in large-for-gestational-age babies. Seventy-six studies involving 11 460 016 children investigated the effects of either early-term delivery or large-for-gestational-age. Children born at 37 weeks of gestation (standard mean difference, -0.13; 95% confidence interval, -0.21 to -0.05), but not at 38 weeks (standard mean difference, -0.04; 95% confidence interval, -0.08 to 0.002), had lower cognitive scores than those born at 40 weeks. Large-for-gestational-age children had slightly higher cognitive scores than appropriate-for-gestational-age children (standard mean difference, 0.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.11). Similar results were obtained using the outcomes of either cognitive impairment or academic performance.

conclusionsNo study has investigated the combined effect of early-term delivery on cognitive scores in large-for-gestational-age babies. Early-term delivery may have a very small detrimental effect on cognitive scores, whereas being large for gestational age may have a very small benefit. However, evidence from randomized controlled trials or observational studies is required.

Indexed as

CognitionFetal MacrosomiaFemaleGestational AgeHumansInfant, NewbornPregnancyTerm Birthacademic performancecognitiveearly‐termgestational agelarge‐for‐gestational‐agemacrosomianeurodevelopmentprematurity

Identifiers

PMID39475202
PMCPMC11782071

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.