Were you an early arrival? If so, you may encounter some difficulties during your pregnancy. A new study suggests that pregnancy complications are more common among women who were born early themselves.

In the study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers analyzed data on women born between 1976 and 1995 who delivered at least one baby between 1987 and 2008. The study included 7,405 women who’d been born preterm and 16,714 women who’d been born at term. They found that the earlier a woman had been born, the greater her chances of having a complication during pregnancy, such as such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure.

According to the study, 19.9 percent of women who were born before 32 weeks of pregnancy had at least one complication, while 13.2 percent of women born between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, and 11.7 percent of women who were born at full-term (at least 37 weeks), experienced a complication during their pregnancy.

Although the researchers have yet to find a direct connection between preterm birth and pregnancy complications, they believe it lies in undiagnosed risk factors these women have had since birth. For example, studies have shown that children and young adults born preterm are more likely to have higher blood pressure, a risk factor for pregnancy complications.

Were you a preterm baby? Did you experience any complications during pregnancy?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Avoiding Preterm Labor

Who Is At Risk for Preterm Labor?

Severe Morning Sickness May Cause Preterm Labor

We know that babies born pre-term might be at risk for developmental problems, but now new research shows that babies born just two weeks early could have problems too. The study published in Pediatrics, “Academic Achievement Varies With Gestational Age Among Children Born at Term,” showed that full-term babies do better on math and reading tests.

Researchers analyzed over 128,000 babies born between 37 and 41 weeks gestation in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. When the children took their 3rd grade math and reading tests, researchers found that scores for children born at 37 and 38 weeks were lower than the kids born at 39, 40 or 41 weeks. They found that children born at 37 weeks had a 23 percent increased risk of having a reading impairment and children born at 38 weeks had a 13 percent increased risk, as opposed to those born at 41 weeks. Plus, math scores were lower for these children as well.

Experts believe that because baby’s brain has substantial growth during the last weeks of gestation, an early birth can disrupt that development. Of course, most women can’t control when they give birth, so this shouldn’t freak you out too much. But for women who are electing to have c-sections or inductions (and it’s not an emergency), this new research might make them want to wait a few more weeks.

Do you think full-term babies could be smarter? When was your baby born?

Plus, more from The Bump:

Baby Milestones

Make Baby Smarter Before Birth

Preterm Labor