Weight of preterm newborns during the first twelve weeks of life

Abstract

A longitudinal and prospective study was carried out at two stateoperated maternity hospitals in Belo Horizonte during 1996 in order to assess the weight of preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age newborns during the first twelve weeks of life. Two hundred and sixty appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm infants with birth weight <2500 g were evaluated weekly. The infants were divided into groups based on birth weight at 250-g intervals. Using weight means, somatic growth curves were constructed and adjusted to Count's model. Absolute (g/day) and relative (g kg -1 day -1 ) velocity curves were obtained from a derivative of this model. The growth curve was characterized by weight loss during the 1st week (4-6 days) ranging from 5.9 to 13.3% (the greater the percentage, the lower the birth weight), recovery of birth weight within 17 and 21 days, and increasingly higher rates of weight gain after the 3rd week. These rates were proportional to birth weight when expressed as g/day (the lowest and the highest birth weight neonates gained 15.9 and 30.1 g/day, respectively). However, if expressed as g kg -1 day -1 , the rates were inversely proportional to birth weight (during the 3rd week, the lowest and the highest weight newborns gained 18.0 and 11.5 g kg -1 day -1 , respectively). During the 12th week the rates were similar for all groups (7.5 to 10.2 g kg -1 day -1 ). The relative velocity accurately reflects weight gain of preterm infants who are appropriate for gestational age and, in the present study, it was inversely proportional to birth weight, with a peak during the 3rd week of life, and a homogeneous behavior during the 12th week for all weight groups.

Feasibility and efficacy of early KMC in very low birth weight babies receiving noninvasive respiratory care in NICU: is it the way forward in resource limited setting?

“…16 The average weight gain of 11.27 gm/kg/day was similar to that reported by M. Anchieta et al 17 Our study demonstrated that delay in initiation of KMC was associated with prolonged NICU stay and higher rates of complications.…”

Velocidade de crescimento de recém-nascidos pré-termo adequados para a idade gestacional

“…From the sixth week onwards, there is a deceleration in rates of weight increase, with the values of these rates drawing together at the end of the study (12th week), probably translating into smaller newborns, after a period of acceleration catching up and maintaining a growth rate similar to that of the larger ones. 6,[25][26][27] The analysis of the rate of head circumference increase, both in cm/week ( Figure 4) and in cm/m/week ( Figure 5) is very similar. In both the increase in head circumference is inversely proportional to birth weight, i.e.…”

“…At an earlier date, the weight gain of appropriatefor-gestational-age newborns was assessed, 6 resulting in a publication focused on the weight gain velocity of preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age newborns. 7 Later, an assessment was made of somatic growth and growth velocity (weight, head circumference and length) of adequate and small for age newborn babies.…”

Crescimento de recém-nascidos pré-termo nas primeiras 12 semanas de vida

“…Only the weight of appropriate-for-gestational-age newborns was assessed, 22 resulting in a publication focused on the weight growth of appropriate-for-gestational-age preterm newborns. 21 Given the available database, we opted for continuing this study; 23 however the small-for-gestationalage population of newborns was small, so another 40 smallfor-gestational-age preterm newborns, weighing less than 2,500 g, were followed up from January to December 2000 in order to increase the sample size.…”

“…After this study, 11 several other growth curves using a similar methodology were published. [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] All these references have methodological differences and none of them can be regarded as ideal, as they show typical growth, given the current clinical care patterns, and not the ideal growth.…”