Early Hum Dev. 2025 Oct 10;212:106411. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106411. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Of 13.4 million children born preterm each year globally, 12 million are born in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Children born very preterm (<32 weeks gestation; VP) and/or with very low birth weight (<1500 g; VLBW) may grow up with low health-related quality of life (HRQoL); however, information on this topic remains scarce in LMICs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare HRQoL between children born VP/VLBW and their term-born peers in Brazil.
METHODS: This observational study assessed children born VP and/or VLBW compared with term-born peers, aged 8 to 14 years. Clinical evaluations and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0) were administered.
RESULTS: A total of 140 children were evaluated: 81 in the VP/VLBW group (11.4 ± 1.7 years; 42 girls and 39 boys) and 59 in the term-born group (mean age: 11.0 ± 1.2 years; 26 girls and 33 boys). Preterm children reported lower total HRQoL scores compared to the term-born group, after adjusting for biological and social confounders (mean difference – 5.6 [95 % CI: -10.0, -1.2]). Parents of VP/VLBW group rated their children’s total HRQoL as lower (mean difference – 7.5 [95 % CI: -12.8, -2.1]), especially in the psychosocial scores (mean difference – 8.4 [95 % CI: -13.7, -3.2]) compared to parents of term-born children. VP/VLBW girls presented the lowest total HRQoL scores, especially in the emotional dimension. Neonatal morbidities did not impact HRQoL within the VP/VLBW group.
CONCLUSION: School-aged children born VP/VLBW in an LMIC exhibit lower HRQoL than their term-born peers. Particular attention should be paid to HRQoL among girls born VP/VLBW and how it may affect their mental health needs.
PMID:41151375 | DOI:10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2025.106411
