National, October 22, 2026: Researchers from the University of Warwick have found that babies who are smaller than expected at birth tend to have lower academic performance as teenagers, according to a study tracking over 92,000 children from infancy through adolescence.
The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, followed 92,551 children born at full term (37–41 weeks) and examined their development and school test results. Children who weighed less than most babies of the same sex and gestational age scored lower in subjects such as mathematics and reading, with these differences persisting into their mid-teens.
Findings on birth timing and development
The research also assessed the impact of being born slightly earlier within the full-term window. Babies born at 37–38 weeks showed minor early differences in language and movement skills compared to those born at 39–41 weeks, but these differences had largely disappeared by the time the children started school.
Researcher Xuan Zhao from the University of Warwick’s Department of Psychology noted the contrast between the two patterns, stating that while early-term birth differences faded by age five, the effects of being smaller than expected at birth remained evident in academic performance at ages 14–15.
Expert perspectives on long-term effects
Professor Siobhan Quenby MBE of Warwick Medical School said the findings indicate that normal or large-sized babies delivered a few weeks before their due date do not face long-term academic disadvantages. She emphasised the importance of monitoring growth and supporting children’s development, noting that not every baby born smaller than expected will experience difficulties.
Professor Dieter Wolke, Professor of Developmental Psychology and Individual Differences at the University of Warwick, added that being small for gestational age at term may signal adverse effects on the brain that can impact learning into adolescence. He also highlighted that parenting, home stimulation, and school support could influence long-term outcomes for these children.
Study methodology and collaboration
The research was led by the University of Warwick and the PsychGen Centre at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, in collaboration with other Norwegian institutions. The study analysed data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), linking it with the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and national education records. Children’s language and motor skills were assessed at multiple stages up to age five, and academic performance was measured through national tests in mathematics, reading, and English at ages 10–11, 13–14, and 14–15.
The University of Warwick, founded in 1965, is based in the UK and is ranked 68th globally and 10th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2026.
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