Low-birth-weight babies are more susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in long run. IBS is a chronic bowel ailment characterized by cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation.
Dr. May-Bente Bengtson stated
‘restricted fetal growth significantly affected susceptibility to IBS later in life. The rate of IBS was significantly higher in women compared with men, and [the] genetic contribution appeared to be important for IBS among females.’
Bengtson’s team tracked the health of 3,334 twin pairs, where they were asked to fill in a questionnaire about their health, including whether they had ever had IBS. The data were then matched with their weight at birth.
The study concluded that among all the twins, the rate of IBS was 5.4%, about one in 20. However, the IBS rate among women was 7% compared with just 3% among men.
In addition, the risk of developing IBS was 2.5 times greater among those whose birth weights were below 1,500 grams compared with those weighing more than 2,500 grams at birth. The risk was generally higher for the lower-weight baby of the twin pair.
They also found that babies who weighed less than 1,500 grams tended to develop IBS symptoms some 7.7 years earlier compared with babies weighing more than 1,500 grams. In addition, the likelihood of IBS was stronger among the identical twins, suggesting that genetic factors play a key role in the illness.
