Related Experiment Videos
[Longitudinal study of weight gain in premature infants from birth to the 6th post-term month]
J B de Souza1, A L Gonçalves, G Mucillo
1Departamento Materno-Infantil da Universidade Federal da Pariba, Brasil.
Insights
Preterm infants show initial slow weight gain, followed by significant increases. Their unit growth rate peaks early and then stabilizes, comparable to infants in developed nations.
Area of Science:
- Neonatalogy
- Pediatric Growth Studies
- Infant Nutrition
Context:
- Focuses on preterm infants born at 33-36 weeks gestation.
- Examines weight gain dynamics from birth to 6 months post-term.
- Compares growth across different gestational age groups.
Purpose:
- To analyze weight gain patterns in preterm infants.
- To assess the growth rate increment (GRI) and unit growth rate (UGR).
- To compare growth trajectories with established norms.
Summary:
- Weight gain was minimal in the first two weeks post-birth.
- Significant weight gain occurred in subsequent weeks with a consistent GRI.
- Unit growth rate (UGR) was highest in the first month and then declined similarly across groups.
Impact:
- Provides insights into normal growth parameters for preterm infants.
- Helps in identifying deviations from expected growth trajectories.
- Informs clinical practice regarding nutritional support for preterm infants.
Abstract:
The dynamics of weight gain were studied in 95 preterm adequate for gestational age infants between birth and their 6th post-term month. The infants were divided into 4 groups according to the number of weeks of gestation at birth, i.e., 33, 34, 35 and 36 weeks, respectively. To compare the results, weight gains were studied for each group of the same corrected ages up to the 64th week of post-menstrual age, corresponding to the 6th post-term month. Weight gain was small during the first 2 weeks of post-natal life but increased considerably over the subsequent weeks with an almost constant periodical increment (GRI) being maintained in all 4 groups during the first months of life. However, unit growth rate (UGR) reached its highest value during the first post-natal month and decreased a similarly in all 4 groups during the subsequent months, with values approximating to those reported for infants in developed countries.