Gender affects early psychomotor milestones and long-term neurodevelopment of preterm infants

Temporal differences of neurodevelopmental milestones' achievement are commonly taken into account in preterm infant assessment during the first year of life, especially when minor or none neurological signs arise from clinical examination. The influence of gender on neurodevelopment in preterm infants was examined by a milestones-based neurological approach. Two-hundred twenty-seven moderate and late preterm and full-term infants (51.9% male), without evidence of severe white matter insults, were early assessed by classic neurological examination. Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale was used at long-term observation. Children were sorted into three gestational age groups (Group 1: 32–33 weeks, Group 2: 34–36 weeks, and Group 3: ≥37 weeks) and compared according to their neurodevelopmental pathways and gender. The achievement of head control was slightly earlier in females. The pointing, one of the main communicative hand gesture, appeared significantly earlier in females across all the groups. At the Griffiths Scale, the majority of gender-related differences emerged in personal–social and eye and hand coordination subscale. An independent role of male gender was evidenced in personal–social, language, and eye and hand coordination subscales. Gender and gestational age likely addressed different temporal profiles of neurodevelopment in early and late assessments in preterm and full-term infants. The role of gender and gestational age on these findings has been discussed. Highlights: A classic, milestones-based neurological evaluation disclosed different developmental profiles in males versus females preterm infants. Moderate preterm and full-term infants showed similar developmental profiles. Gender and gestational age may influence neurodevelopment