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[Growth of preterm newborns during the first 12 weeks of life]
Lêni M Anchieta1, César C Xavier, Enrico A Colosimo
1Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG. lenima@terra.com.br
Insights
Preterm infants experienced initial weight loss and delayed birth weight recovery, but demonstrated significant growth potential in the first 12 weeks. Somatic growth curves tracked these patterns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal research
- Pediatric growth and development
- Infant health monitoring
Context:
- Preterm infants require careful monitoring for optimal growth.
- Understanding early life growth trajectories is crucial for long-term health.
- Assessing somatic growth in vulnerable populations informs clinical practice.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the somatic growth of preterm newborns using growth curves.
- To analyze body weight, head circumference, and height changes during the first 12 weeks of life.
- To apply Count's model for constructing and adjusting infant growth curves.
Summary:
- Preterm infants experienced initial weight loss (5.9-9.7%) and delayed birth weight recovery (16-19 days).
- Growth curves revealed similar weight loss dynamics across infants, with increasing weight gain rates after week 3.
- Head circumference and height were less affected, though low birth weight infants showed deficits likely due to lower gestational age.
Impact:
- Findings align with previous studies on preterm infant growth dynamics.
- Highlights the growth deficit common in preterm infants.
- Emphasizes the significant potential for growth recovery in these newborns.
Objective:
To assess the somatic growth of preterm newborns through growth curves during the first 12 weeks of life.
Method:
A longitudinal and prospective study was carried out at two state operated maternity hospitals in the city of Belo Horizonte. Three hundred and forty preterm infants with birth weight less than 2,500 g were weekly evaluated in terms of body weight, head circumference, and height. Growth curves were constructed and adjusted to Count's model.
Results:
Count's model clearly showed that the dynamics of loss, stabilization and gain of weight of all curves are graphically similar. The growth curve was characterized by weight loss during the 1st week (4-6 days) ranging from 5.9 to 9.7% (the greater the percentage, the lower the birth weight). For all curves, recovery of birth weight ranged from 16 to 19 days, showing that these newborns took longer to recover their birth weight. After the 3rd week, the newborns maintained increasingly rates of weight gain. Head circumference and height curves are little affected by weight loss. However, newborns with low birth weight presented loss of head circumference and height, probably due to their lower gestational ages.
Conclusion:
The dynamics of the preterm infants evaluated was similar to that of previous studies. The infants also presented growth deficit. However, it was also noted that the infants present a high potential to recover their growth.
