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. 2025 Sep 17.
doi: 10.1038/s41372-025-02414-x. Online ahead of print.

Prevalence, predictors, and patterns of residential mobility by the parents of preterm infants

Daria Murosko  1   2   3 , Timothy Nelin  4   5   6 , Priya Sharma  7 , Vicky Tam  7 , Elynna Volkova  8 , Kristan Scott  4   5   6 , Emily F Gregory  4   5   6 , Scott Lorch  4   5
Affiliations

Prevalence, predictors, and patterns of residential mobility by the parents of preterm infants

Daria Murosko et al. J Perinatol. .

Abstract

Objective: Describe how preterm infants experience residential mobility, or moving, before age 2 years.

Study design: This retrospective cohort study included 9267 preterm infants followed in a mid-Atlantic urban and suburban primary care network. Multivariable regression modeling identified patient and community factors associated with residential mobility, defined by a change in Census Block Group.

Results: 2494 infants (27%) moved before age 2 years; 559 (6%) moved more than once. Extreme prematurity, compared to late prematurity, was associated with increased odds of mobility (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.54). Governmental insurance, male sex, a positive or missing post-partum depression screen, and neighborhood deprivation were also positively associated with mobility. Among movers, 741 (30%) first relocated before 6 months of age, and mobility rates decreased with increasing chronologic age.

Conclusion: Early-life residential mobility is common among preterm infants, particularly extremely preterm infants. These findings have implications for discharge preparation among this vulnerable group.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

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