Investigation Into the Current Situation and Analysis of the Factors Influencing Extrauterine Growth Retardation in Preterm Infants

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to explore the occurrence of extrauterine growth retardation (EUGR) in preterm infants with a gestational age of <34 weeks, at discharge, and the factors influencing the occurrence of EUGR.Method: A retrospective analysis of 691 preterm infants with a gestational age of less than 34 weeks, born in our hospital over the past 3 years. At discharge, the growth indicators head circumference, weight, and length were used to divide the infants into an EUGR group (n = 255) and the non-EUGR group (n = 436). The occurrence of EUGR and its influencing factors were then analyzed.Results: Of the 691 preterm infants evaluated for inclusion in the study, 255 cases (36.9%) met the requirements of EUGR at discharge. The different growth indicators used, i.e., weight, length, and head circumference, classified the infants differently. The incidence of EUGR using these measures was 30.2% (209), 27.9% (193), and 23.2% (161), respectively. The results of a univariate analysis showed that gestational age, birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), maternal gestational hypertension, age at which the infant commenced feeding, duration of the application of an invasive ventilator, length of hospital stay, nosocomial infection, respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases, symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus, and the early onset of neonatal sepsis were correlated with the occurrence of EUGR. Further logistic multivariate regression analysis revealed that low gestational age, low birth weight, complicated IUGR, respiratory distress syndrome, and necrotizing enterocolitis were independent risk factors for EUGR in preterm infants with a gestational age <34 weeks.Conclusion: In preterm infants with a gestational age <34 weeks in our hospital, there is a high incidence of EUGR, which is affected by factors such as the gestational age, birth weight, IUGR, respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, and other factors.

Racial and ethnic disparities in postnatal growth among very low birth weight infants in California

“…We found that infants with maternal hypertension and SGA at birth were at an increased risk for PGF. These findings are consistent with previous study relating gestational hypertension and SGA to discharge weight, length, and head circumference being below the 10th percentile [31]. An important driver of preterm birth is hypertensive disorders including preeclampsia, which may lead to maternal vasoconstriction, insufficient placental blood flow, low fetal nutritional reserve, and intrauterine growth restriction.…”

Comparison of disease burden and major risk factors of early and late-onset neonatal sepsis in China and the USA, 1990-2019

“…Additionally, they have a high chance of requiring invasive mechanical ventilation and a long duration of hospital stay. This leads to an increased risk of hospital-acquired infections and a high incidence of necrotizing small-bowel colitis, which can lead to neonatal sepsis [30,31]. Our study found that in China, SEVs of short-gestation and low-birth-weight neonates decreased and then increased in both early and late-onset neonatal sepsis.…”

Maternal and neonatal outcomes of twin pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus

“…EUGR may impose long-term serious impact on the development of nervous and many other systems in premature newborns [ 28 ]. Previous studies have shown that gestational age <34 weeks, birthweight <1500 g, and SGA are independent risk factors for the development of EUGR in newborns [ 29 – 31 ]. However, our study did not find significant differences in these factors.…”