Establishing Postnatal Growth Monitoring Curves of Preterm Infants in China: Allowing for Continuous Use from 24 Weeks of Preterm Birth to 50 Weeks

Background: Early postnatal growth monitoring and nutrition assessment for preterm infants is a public health and clinical concern. We aimed to establish a set of postnatal growth monitoring curves of preterm infants to better help clinicians make in-hospital and post-discharge nutrition plan of these vulnerable infants. Methods: We collected weight, length and head circumference data from a nationwide survey in China between 2015 and 2018. Polynomial regression and the modified LMS methods were employed to construct the smoothed weight, length and head circumference growth curves. Results: We established the P-3, P-10, P-25, P-50, P-75, P-90, P-97 reference curves of weight, length and head circumference that allowed for continuous use from 24 weeks of preterm birth to 50 weeks and developed a set of user-friendly growth monitoring charts. We estimated approximate ranges of weight gain per day and length and head circumference gains per week. Conclusions: Our established growth monitoring curves, which can be used continuously without correcting gestational age from 24 weeks of preterm birth to 50 weeks, may be useful for assessment of postnatal growth trajectories, definition of intrauterine growth retardation at birth, and classification of early nutrition status for preterm infants.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to establish a set of postnatal growth monitoring curves for preterm infants to aid clinicians in assessing their nutrition status and developing appropriate nutrition plans. By collecting data nationwide, the researchers successfully constructed reference curves for weight, length, and head circumference, and estimated the ranges of daily weight gain and weekly length and head circumference gains. These findings are important for evaluating the growth trajectories, defining intrauterine growth retardation, and classifying early nutrition status of preterm infants.