Neonatal and Preterm Infant Growth Assessment

Abstract

The needs to assess preterm infant growth clinically differ from the needs to summarize growth for research. Clinically, growth assessments are used to understand individuals' growth relative to their individual genetic potential, morbidity status and nutrition care. Growth quantification for research purposes is used to quantify growth of groups using meaningful metrics. Historically, neonatology has lacked consistency in the use of growth metrics, over-used irrelevant categories and over-diagnosed growth failure. Understanding the numerous preterm infant expected growth patterns can help identify concerning growth.

Keywords: Anthropometry; Infant; LGA; Newborn; Nutrition; Preterm; SGA; growth; head circumference; length; weight; z-scores.