p=0.0008) and with severe restriction of BL (61.8% vs 22.8% infants respectively;
p=0.0001). Therefore, at admission to neonatology department the number of infants
with normal BL (according to PMA) decreased by 15.2% (from 67.4% to 52.2%) in
VLBW group and decreased by 14.7% (from 32.4% to 17.7%) in ELBW group.
Figure 2. Correspondence of body length to gestational and postmenstrual age in
infants with very and extremely low body weight at birth, admission to neonatology
departments and discharge from the children hospital
Note. * - p<0.05
At discharge (according to PMA) normal BL was significantly more rare by 2.7
times in infants with ELBW than in infants with VLBW (14.7% vs 39.1% infants;
p=0.01), and severe BL restriction was significantly more frequent by 1.6 times (67.7%
vs 41.3% infants respectively; p<0.05). See Figure 2.
Thus, Figure 2 demonstrates a progressive increase in the number of infants with
severe postnatal growth restriction by BL and progressive decrease in the number of
infants with normal BL (according to PMA) in both groups. Thus, in VLBW group BL
under the 3
rd
percentile was registered in 19.6% infants at birth, in 22.8% infants at
admission to neonatology department and in 41.3% infants at discharge from children
hospital. In ELBW group, BW under the 3
rd
percentile was registered in 41.2%, 61.8%
and 67.7% infants respectively.
Evaluation of head circumference of infants with VLBW and ELBW from
birth to discharge. Increase of postnatal growth restriction by head circumference in
VLBW and ELBW groups of infants from birth to discharge from the children hospital
is presented in Figure 3.
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