Postnatal growth of children born small for gestational age

Acta Paediatr Suppl. 1997 Nov:423:193-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1997.tb18413.x.

Abstract

A large, population-based representative study (n = 3656) has shown that the vast majority of healthy, full-term, singleton infants born small for gestational age (SGA) achieve catch-up growth during the first 2 years of life. Indeed, most of the increase in height SDS occurs by 2 months of age. Children born SGA who do not show postnatal catch-up growth and so remain short at 2 years of age, have a higher risk of short stature (< -2 SDS) in later life, with a relative risk at 18 years of age of 5.2 if born light and of 7.1 if born short.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Body Height*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Small for Gestational Age / growth & development*