Premature infants and babies born at very low birth rates have an increased risk of behavioral problems and other mental health issues, including anxiety and depression, according to a study published in the January edition of the journal Pediatrics and reported by ABC News.

The finding is significant because, as the New York City birth injury lawyers at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool reported earlier this fall on New York Injury Lawyer blog, 1 in 8 babies in the United States are born prematurely. Despite medical advances, the U.S. continues to have one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the developed world.

Premature birth and birth injury can be the result of a failure by medical professionals to properly manage pregnancy and identify and treat complications. As this report suggests, damage caused by premature birth is not always readily apparent. A free consultation with a New York City medical malpractice attorney can help protect the rights of you and your family.

As survival rates have increased over the years for very preterm newborns, medical studies have continued to uncover potential long-term medical complications, including lower IQ and higher rates of behavioral problems.

This study found nearly half the premature children studied --49 of 104 children ages 7 to 16-years-old -- had higher rates of hyperactivity and attention problems, as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Neither lower IQ scores nor a families' socioeconomic status were found to be important factors in a child's odds of behavioral or emotional issues. Instead, birth weight itself was the strongest factor, the researchers report in the January edition of the journal Pediatrics.

The finding "suggests that in children born prematurely, behavioral issues might be more biologically based and not easily compensated for by improvements in the environment," explained lead researcher Dr. Amy L. Conrad, of the University of Iowa College of Medicine in Iowa City.

It's possible that very low birth weight affected some children's brain development in a way that made them more vulnerable to behavioral problems. Conrad said that the aim of her team's future research is to help answer that question.