Postnatal growth and skeletal maturation of experimental preterm macaques (Macaca nemestrina)

The growth and skeletal maturation of nine preterm female pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) obtained by C-section at less than or equal to 155 postconceptional days were followed through six months of age. At C-section they were of normal size and maturation for gestational age. Compared with 50 normal females born at term (mean = 173 +/- 6.4 postconceptional days), preterm infants were also of normal size at term, but delayed in skeletal maturation, requiring about one month to achieve the standard.