Growth and Development of Full-Term Nonasphyxiated Small-for-Gestational-Age Newborns: Follow-up Through Adolescence

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Abstract
Previous studies of growth and development in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) [human] infants have been plagued by several methodologic defects, including a lack of control for socioeconomic status and parental height and an inability to distinguish among the effects of prematurity, neonatal asphyxia and intrauterine growth retardation. An attempt was made to overcome these defects in a study of 33 full-term, nonasphyxiated small-for-gestational-age neonates born between 1960 and 1966 and 33 matched control infants of normal birth weight. The infants were followed-up and compared for physical growth and sexual, neurologic and cognitive development at ages 13-19 yr. Significant deficits in height, weight and head circumference were found among the SGA cohort, even after statistical adjustment for differences in socioeconomic status and parental height. Sexual development and bone age were not delayed in the SGA group, indicating that the deficits in growth are permanent. On neurologic and cognitive testing, the SGA group had trends toward lower scores but scores were well within the normal range. Full-term nonasphyxiated SGA infants have an impaired potential for physical growth but a good prognosis for neurologic and cognitive development. Previous findings of more severe cognitive deficits are attributed to a failure to distinguish the effects of isolated intrauterine growth retardation from effects due to asphyxia.

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