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[126 small gestational age infants. Clinical characteristics and long-term observation]
J Xu1
1Department of Pediatrics, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing.
Insights
Small for gestational age (SGA) infants face higher risks of birth asphyxia, hypoglycemia, and polycythemia. However, most SGA infants show normal physical development by age two.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Health
- Perinatal Epidemiology
Context:
- Prospective study of 126 small for gestational age (SGA) infants born between January 1987 and June 1990.
- SGA infants constituted a significant portion of births, with a high incidence of term-born SGA infants (71.4%).
- Low incidence of very low birth weight infants (6.3%) within the SGA cohort.
Purpose:
- To investigate the incidence of birth asphyxia, morbidities, mortality, and long-term development in small for gestational age (SGA) infants.
- To compare the outcomes of SGA infants with those of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants.
- To identify the primary causes of mortality in SGA infants.
Summary:
- The incidence of birth asphyxia in SGA infants was 3 times higher than in full-term infants, negatively correlating with gestational age and birth weight.
- SGA infants exhibited significantly higher morbidity rates for hypoglycemia (25.7%) and polycythemia (10.1%) compared to AGA infants.
- Malformations were the leading cause of death in SGA infants, with an overall mortality rate of 5.6%, and 1.1% for term-born SGA infants.
Impact:
- Despite increased risks, approximately 90% of SGA infants demonstrated normal physical development by two years of age.
- The study highlights the need for targeted monitoring and interventions for SGA infants to mitigate risks and ensure optimal developmental outcomes.
- Findings underscore the importance of considering gestational age and birth weight in assessing neonatal risks and long-term prognosis.
Abstract:
From January 1, 1987 through June 30, 1990, 126 infants of small gestational age (SGA) born in our hospital were studied prospectively. The incidence of SGA infant > or = 37 weeks was 71.4%. The incidence of very low birth weight infants was only 6.3%. The incidence of birth asphyxia in this group (14.9%) was 3 times higher than that in full term infants; this incidence showed negative correlation with gestational age and birth weight. The morbidity rates of hypoglycemia (25.7%) and polycythemia (10.1%) were much higher than those in AGA infants. Malformation was the major cause of death in SGA infants. The mortality rate of SGA infant was 5.6% and the mortality rate of SGA infant > or = 37 weeks was only 1.1%. The results of follow-up showed that the physical development was normal in about 90% of cases at 2 years of age, and only 2 cases had low motor development scale when they were one-year old.