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Postnatal growth of abandoned preterm babies
1Department of Paediatrics, Kenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Insights
Abandoned low birth weight infants experienced slower weight gain and higher infection rates compared to infants with maternal care. This highlights critical nutritional and health disparities in vulnerable newborns.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric nutrition
- Infant health outcomes
Background:
- Low birth weight (LBW) infants are at increased risk for adverse health outcomes.
- Maternal care is crucial for infant development and survival.
- Abandoned infants face unique challenges in receiving adequate nutrition and care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the growth and health outcomes of abandoned LBW infants with those who have maternal care.
- To assess the impact of feeding practices on the development of LBW infants.
- To identify critical factors influencing survival rates in abandoned LBW infants.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study involving 18 abandoned LBW infants matched with controls who had mothers.
- Weekly anthropometric measurements (weight, length, head circumference, mid-arm circumference) were recorded.
- Infant feeding methods (breast milk vs. artificial feed) and infection episodes were documented.
Main Results:
- Abandoned infants showed significantly lower daily weight gain (16gm/day) compared to controls (22gm/day).
- Mid-arm circumference increase was also significantly lower in abandoned infants (0.2cm/week) versus controls (0.4cm/week).
- Abandoned infants had a high incidence of serious infections (94.4%) and a mortality rate of 38.9%, contrasting with 10.5% infection and 0% mortality in controls.
Conclusions:
- Abandoned LBW infants exhibit impaired growth and significantly higher morbidity and mortality.
- Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 weeks or 1960gm, followed by artificial feeding, did not fully compensate for the lack of maternal care.
- Urgent interventions are needed to improve the care and survival of abandoned LBW infants.
Abstract:
Eighteen abandoned low birth weight infants matched for sex and gestational age with infants who had mothers were followed up till discharge or death. Anthropometric measurements were taken on recruitment and then weekly. Initially all infants were on breast milk. For the abandoned ones, milk was obtained from other mothers. Results show that the abandoned infants were on breast milk until they attained a mean weight of 1960gm. This coincided with a postnatal age of 6 weeks. For the rest of the period they were on artificial feed. Mean birth weight was 1403 +/- 302 and 1337 +/- 204 for cases and controls respectively while the mean gestation was 30 weeks. Anthropometric measurements were similar at the beginning of the study and both groups regained birth weight at 2 weeks. Thereafter the rate of weight gain of 16gm per day for the cases was significantly lower than that of 22gm per day for the controls. Similarly midarm circumference increases were much lower in the cases than in controls (0.2cm versus 0.4 per week). There were however no significant differences in length and head circumference increases. A significant number of cases (94.4%) had one or more episodes of serious infection and 38.9% died. None of the control infants died and only 10.5% had serious infection.