Impaired renal development during foetal life is a proposed mechanism for adult hypertension in people born small. Whether preterm birth contributes to such adverse development is still unclear. We investigated the selective contributions from foetal growth restriction or preterm birth to renal function and volume in children with low birth weight. Three groups of 9 to 12-year-old children were studied: those born at < 32 gestational weeks (preterm, n = 39), those born at term but small for gestational age (SGA, n = 29) and those born at the term appropriate for gestational age (controls, n = 37). We estimated renal function by calculating glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and by measuring urinary proteins. Volumetric ultrasound of the kidneys was performed in 86 children (preterm, n = 33; SGA, n = 25; controls, n = 29). Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary protein patterns were similar between the groups. Kidney volume (preterm 162 ml (31); SGA 163 ml (26) and controls 182 ml (47)) was smaller in the preterm group than in the controls, but the difference was not significant when adjusted for body surface area, gender and age (P = 0.25). Total renal volume correlated to birth weight (r = 0.23, P = 0.03). No significant differences were found in renal function or volume between the three groups at school age.

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Aim This study investigated childhood diagnoses in children born extremely preterm before 24 weeks of gestation. Methods Diagnoses of neurodevelopmental disorders and selected somatic diagnoses were retrospectively retrieved from national Swedish registries for children born before 24 weeks from 2007 to 2018. Their individual medical files were also examined. Results We studied 383 children born at a median of 23.3 (range 21.9–23.9) weeks, with a median birthweight of 565 (range 340–874) grams. Three‐quarters (75%) had neurodevelopmental disorders, including speech disorders (52%), intellectual disabilities (40%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (30%), autism spectrum disorders (24%), visual impairment (22%), cerebral palsy (17%), epilepsy (10%) and hearing impairment (5%). More boys than girls born at 23 weeks had intellectual disabilities (45% vs. 27%, p < 0.01) and visual impairment (25% vs. 14%, p < 0.01). Just over half of the cohort (55%) received habilitation care. The majority (88%) had somatic diagnoses, including asthma (63%) and failure to thrive/short stature (39%). Conclusion Most children born before 24 weeks had neurodevelopmental disorders and/or additional somatic diagnoses in childhood and were referred to habilitation services. Clinicians should be aware of the multiple health and developmental problems affecting these children. Resources are needed to identify their long‐term support needs at an early stage.