Postnatal Growth Faltering: Growth and Height Improvement at Two Years in Children with Very Low Birth Weight between 2002–2017

Abstract

The prevalence of postnatal growth faltering (PGF) in preterm infants with very low birth weight (VLBW) (n = 112; and 2013–2017, n = 92) were compared. Results. In the second five-year period, a decrease in prevalence of PGF was observed (36.6% vs. 22.8%, p = 0.033), an increase in growth rate in the first 28 days (5.22 (4.35–6.09) g/kg/day vs. 11.38 (10.61–12.15) g/kg/day, p p = 0.023). Probability of short stature at 2 years was directly related to daily weight gain in the first 28 days. Conclusions: when comparing two five-year periods in the last two decades, growth in VLBW preterm infants has improved, both during neonatal period and at two years of age.

Keywords

• infant premature
• very low birth weight
• extrauterine growth restriction