Association Between Preterm Birth and Parent-Reported Health-Related Quality of Life During the Preschool Years: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study

•Quality of life of mild premature infants at 4 years may be similar to full-term.•Premature infants showed a high quality of life related to sleep and behavior.•Full-term infants presented better quality of life related to communication skills This hospital-based retrospective matched cohort study explored the association between preterm birth (PB) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in preschool children. PB children were matched by sex and day of birth (1:2) with full-term birth (FTB) children (PB = 89, FTP = 178). The children's parent-reported HRQoL was assessed using the TNO-AZL Preschool Children Quality of Life Questionnaire. The association between PB and HRQoL was examined using conditional logistic regressions. PB children were mostly moderate-to-mild preterm (64%) and exhibited a lower probability of presenting an HRQoL below the median in the sleeping (OR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.23–0.91) and behavior (OR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.23–0.85) subscales. Conversely, this probability in communication HRQoL was higher in the PB group (OR = 1.91; 95% CI = 1.01–3.64). PB was associated to better sleeping and behavior HRQoL, but poorer communication HRQoL. These findings could imply a potential normalization of developmental outcomes in moderate-to-mild PB.