Preterm birth is a biological risk factor for developmental problems. Infants born preterm are more likely to present difficulties and potential delays in all areas of development. The aim of the present review is to apply Bronfenbrenner´s bioecological model of human development to understand the factors that shape the developmental trajectories of infants born preterm. This model offers a developmental science perspective, which considers the dynamic interaction of diverse processes and contextual factors across the lifespan to explain developmental trajectories. Firstly, the article provides key definitions associated with preterm birth and the relevance of this condition from a public health perspective. Secondly, we describe why preterm birth is a neurobiological risk factor for optimal development. Then, we describe the components of the bioecological model, provide examples associated with infants born preterm, and describe available evidence on how psychosocial factors influence development in this population. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors that influence the development of infants born preterm from an integrative and complex perspective and discuss some implications of using this approach for clinical practices oriented to infants born preterm.

中文翻译：

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早产儿的发育：生物生态学视角

早产是发育问题的生物学危险因素。早产儿更有可能在所有发育领域出现困难和潜在的延迟。本综述的目的是应用 Bronfenbrenner 的人类发展生物生态学模型来了解影响早产儿发育轨迹的因素。该模型提供了一个发展科学视角，考虑了整个生命周期中不同过程和背景因素的动态相互作用，以解释发展轨迹。首先，文章从公共卫生的角度提供了与早产相关的关键定义以及这种情况的相关性。其次，我们描述了为什么早产是最佳发育的神经生物学风险因素。然后，我们描述了生物生态学模型的组成部分，提供了与早产婴儿相关的示例，并描述了有关社会心理因素如何影响该人群发育的现有证据。本综述有助于从综合和复杂的角度更深入地了解影响早产儿发育的因素，并讨论将这种方法用于针对早产儿的临床实践的一些意义。