Eligibility for growth hormone therapy in children born small for gestational age is substantially lower than expected

Abstract

The most commonly used definitions for infants born 'small for gestational age' (SGA) are birth weight or length under 2 standard deviations (SDS) from the mean or below the 10th percentile for gestational age and sex. [1][2][3] The aetiology of most SGA births remains unknown; however, several maternal, foetal and placental factors have been suggested. [4][5][6][7] Depending on the definitions used, the incidence of SGA births varies among populations with a reported estimate of up to 10% in developed countries increasing to 10%-40%! in developing countries. 8,9 These SGA infants are at increased risk of perinatal and adulthood morbidity, related to developmental