OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to assess bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) as a predisposing factor for alteration in the psychomotor development index (PDI) in premature infants and verify the incidence of neuromotor alterations at 6 months corrected age. METHOD: This was a prospective cohort study that followed the neuromotor development of 152 very low birth weight premature infants, with psychomotor development index as the outcome. The study used the Bayley Scale of Infant Development at 6 months corrected age, and neurological examination. RESULTS: Incidence of BPD was 13.2% (n=20). Logistic regression analysis showed an association between BPD and altered psychomotor development index (OR 3.98; 95%CI: 1.04-15.1) after adjusting for confounding variables. Neurological examination was altered in 67.1% of the 152 infants. CONCLUSION: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia acted as an independent predisposing factor for alteration in the psychomotor development index in premature infants at 6 months corrected age.