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Updated: May 15, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
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Association between postnatal anthropometric growth by term and high-performing neurodevelopment at age 3 years in

Takashi Maeda1,2, Yoshihiro Tanahashi3,4, Hideyuki Asada5,6

  • 1Division of Neonatology, Center for Maternal-Neonatal Care, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.

Journal of Perinatology : Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association
|May 13, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Postnatal body length growth by 40 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) is linked to better neurodevelopment in extremely preterm infants. Weight and earlier growth changes were not significant predictors.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatalogy
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Pediatric Neurology

Background:

  • Extremely preterm infants (<28 weeks gestational age) face risks for neurodevelopmental impairments.
  • Postnatal growth is crucial for optimizing outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between postnatal growth parameters and high-performing neurodevelopment at age 3 in extremely preterm infants.
  • To identify specific growth metrics that predict optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 287 infants born at <28 weeks gestational age.
  • Anthropometric Z-scores (length, weight, head circumference) assessed at 32, 36, and 40 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA).
  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes at age 3 categorized into four groups: delay, subnormal, normal, and high-performing.

Main Results:

  • Body length at 40 weeks PMA showed a significant association with high-performing neurodevelopment (aOR=1.86).
  • Head circumference at 40 weeks PMA was also associated with high-performing neurodevelopment (aOR=1.32).
  • Growth in body length Z-scores from 36 to 40 weeks PMA predicted high-performing neurodevelopment; body weight and earlier growth changes did not.

Conclusions:

  • Body length growth by 40 weeks PMA is an independent predictor of high-performing neurodevelopment at age 3 in extremely preterm infants.
  • Focusing on length growth in late preterm infancy may be important for optimizing neurodevelopmental trajectories.
Abstract

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