Postnatal growth curve of the infant with extremely low birth weight who was fed enterally

Area of Science:

• Neonatalogy
• Pediatric Growth and Development

Background:

• Establishing accurate postnatal growth curves is crucial for monitoring the development of very low-birth-weight infants.
• Existing growth standards may not fully reflect current clinical outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a postnatal growth curve specifically for very low-birth-weight infants appropriate for gestational age and nourished enterally.
• To compare the growth rates of these infants against established growth standards.

Main Methods:

• Two groups of infants were studied: Group A (<900g birth weight) and Group B (901-1100g birth weight).
• Infants were selected based on appropriate size for gestational age and predominant enteral nutrition.
• Growth was monitored over the first 50 postnatal days.

Main Results:

• Group A infants gained an average of 10.2 g/day, and Group B infants gained an average of 17.1 g/day over 50 postnatal days.
• The growth rates observed in this study, particularly for infants under 900g, were more than double the predictions from the Dancis grid (1948).

Conclusions:

• The developed growth curves provide a contemporary standard for very low-birth-weight infants.
• Current growth rates significantly exceed historical predictions, suggesting advancements in neonatal care and nutrition.