Romantic and sexual relationships of young adults born very preterm: An individual participant data meta-analysis

Aim: To compare romantic and sexual relationships between adults born very preterm (VP; <32 weeks of gestation) or with very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500 g) and at term, and to evaluate potential biological and environmental explanatory factors among VP/VLBW participants. Methods: This individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis included longitudinal studies assessing romantic and sexual relationships in adults (mean sample age ≥ 18 years) born VP/VLBW compared with term-born controls. Following PRISMA-IPD guidelines, 11 of the 13 identified cohorts provided IPD from 1606 VP/VLBW adults and 1659 term-born controls. IPD meta-analyses were performed using one-stage approach. Results: Individuals born VP/VLBW were less likely to be in a romantic relationship (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.31–0.76), to be married/cohabiting (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.53–0.92), or to have had sexual intercourse (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.36) than term-born adults. If sexually active, VP/VLBW participants were more likely to experience their first sexual intercourse after the age of 18 years (OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.24–3.01) than term-born adults. Among VP/VLBW adults, males, and those with neurosensory impairment were least likely to experience romantic relationships. Conclusions: These findings reflect less optimal social functioning and may have implications for socioeconomic and health outcomes of adults born VP/VLBW.