The Impact of Prematurity on Self-Reported Quality of Life in Adulthood: A Prospective Swedish National Cohort Study of Infants Born with Extremely Low Birth Weight.

Abstract

To investigate the physical and mental health of a national cohort of Swedish adults born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW, ≤1000 g) and its impact on self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This prospective, follow-up study was conducted on a Swedish national cohort of individuals born between 1990 and 1992 with a birth weight of ≤1000 g (n = 201), along with a matched control group (n = 327) born appropriate for gestational age at term. All participants were between 26 and 29 years old at the time of the study. Data were collected through web-based questionnaires assessing physical and mental health, including the 36-item Short Form Health Survey version 2 to evaluate HRQoL. In addition, registered diagnoses were obtained from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare. Multivariable linear regressions were performed to investigate factors associated with HRQoL. Compared with the control group, adult individuals born ELBW had a significantly higher prevalence of physical morbidities. In terms of mental health, developmental and psychiatric conditions were also more prevalent, with the exception of mood disorders. However, there were no significant differences in self-reported HRQoL between ELBW and the control group. Despite a higher prevalence of impairments, ELBW individuals may not perceive themselves as limited in their daily functioning.