Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Preterm Infants at 18 Months of Corrected Age Following Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic-Related Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Care Changes

Preterm infants born during the COVID-19 pandemic exhibited significantly lower cognitive-adaptive and language-social DQs at 18 months corrected age than prepandemic infants. These findings suggest that pandemic-related restrictions on parental involvement in the NICU may have potentially influenced neurodevelopment. Further research is needed to explore long-term developmental trajectories and interventions to support optimal outcomes in this vulnerable population.