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Postnatal growth of children born small for gestational age
K Albertsson-Wikland1, J Karlberg
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
Insights
Most healthy infants born small for gestational age (SGA) experience catch-up growth within two years. Those without catch-up growth face a significantly higher risk of long-term short stature.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neonatology
- Growth and Development
Background:
- Small for gestational age (SGA) infants are at risk for poor growth.
- Understanding postnatal growth trajectories is crucial for predicting long-term outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the catch-up growth patterns in healthy, full-term infants born SGA.
- To assess the long-term risk of short stature in SGA infants based on early growth.
Main Methods:
- Population-based study of 3656 healthy, full-term, singleton infants.
- Analysis of height Standard Deviation Scores (SDS) up to 2 years of age.
- Evaluation of the association between early growth and stature at 18 years.
Main Results:
- The majority of SGA infants achieved catch-up growth by 2 years of age.
- Most height gain occurred within the first 2 months post-birth.
- SGA infants without catch-up growth by 2 years had a 5.2-fold (if light) and 7.1-fold (if short) increased risk of short stature at 18 years.
Conclusions:
- Early catch-up growth is common in healthy SGA infants.
- Lack of early catch-up growth is a strong predictor of persistent short stature.
- Monitoring early growth is vital for identifying SGA infants at risk for long-term short stature.
Abstract:
A large, population-based representative study (n = 3656) has shown that the vast majority of healthy, full-term, singleton infants born small for gestational age (SGA) achieve catch-up growth during the first 2 years of life. Indeed, most of the increase in height SDS occurs by 2 months of age. Children born SGA who do not show postnatal catch-up growth and so remain short at 2 years of age, have a higher risk of short stature (< -2 SDS) in later life, with a relative risk at 18 years of age of 5.2 if born light and of 7.1 if born short.