Quality of Life at Age 18 Years after Extremely Preterm Birth in the Post-Surfactant Era

Objectives To assess the self-reported quality of life, health status, self-esteem, and functional outcomes at age 18 years of extremely preterm (EP; .05). Birth at younger gestational age or lower birth weight were not related to poorer quality of life within the EP/ELBW cohort ( P > .05). EP/ELBW adolescents reported less physical activity (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.8; P .05). Conclusion EP/ELBW individuals born after the introduction of exogenous surfactant are transitioning well into young adulthood, despite the fact that more of the tiniest and most immature infants survive than ever before. They report similar quality of life, self-esteem, and social and risk-taking behaviors as controls.