Extrauterine Growth Retardation among Preterms hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Identification of Contributing Factors

Objective: Extrauterine growth retardation is now accepted as the most common morbidity of premature infants worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency and contributing factors of EUGR in preterms. Material and Methods: The sample included 108 VLBW infants born at <33 weeks of gestation and <1500 grams and have been followed and discharged from NICU. Demographic features, daily weight records, co-morbidities were noted, daily calorie intakes for the first month and birth and discharge weight percentiles were calculated and compared. Results: The mean gestational age was 29,0±2,4 weeks and mean birth weight was 1094 ± 279 grams. Intrauterine growth retardation existed in 26,9% of our patients whereas EUGR incidence was 75,0%. There wasn’t any statistically significant difference between birth weights or gestational ages of infants with or without EUGR. However IUGR ratio was higher in patients with EUGR (p<0,05). There wasn’t any statistically significant difference between groups regarding gender, demographic features and co-morbidities. Having shorter period of 120 kcal/kg/d calorie intake and higher weight loss in the first week were found as contributing factors to EUGR. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that, EUGR still continues to have high incidence in preterm infants discharged from NICU and IUGR was found to be an important risk factor for EUGR.