Growth and survival of low birthweight infants from 0 to 9 years in a rural area of Ghana. Comparison of moderately low (1501–2000 g) and very low birthweight (1000–1500 g) infants and a local reference population

Abstract

This prospective and descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the growth and survival of 105 low birthweight (LBW, 1,000-2,000 g) infants discharged during a 4-year period from Agogo Hospital, Ghana, and followed from birth until the age of 4-9 years. Thirty-two babies were very low birthweight children (VLBW, 1,000-1,500 g) and 73 (70%) were of moderately low birthweight (MLBW, 1,501-2,000 g). At the age of 3 years, 15 children (14.2%) had not come for follow-up; of the remaining 90 children, nine (10%) had died, five during the first 3 months of life. At follow-up from 4 to 9 years of age, two more children could not be traced and another two had died. Compared to a local reference population and the WHO standard, growth of survivors lagged behind and caught up only slightly during the first 3 years of life. From 3 to 9 years of age, median growth impairment increased, which either suggests impaired growth potential or poor health and inadequate nutrition. This long-term study confirms that LBW (1,000-2,000 g) infants, particularly VLBW children, are at high risk.

Maternal Demographic and Placental Risk Factors in Term Low Birth Weight in Ghana

“…The overall LBW incidence found in this study was 6.2% for our sample of those mothers attending the Maternity Wards of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Accra, Ghana. This result contrasts a previous study in the community that reported a prevalence of 11% [38]. The difference could be due to early mortality rates within the Health Facility that precluded inclusion in the data capture.…”

A cohort study of low birth weight and health outcomes in the first year of life, Ghana

“…at least 2.50 kg, and three categories of low-birth-weight: 2.00–2.49, 1.50–1.99 and less than 1.50 kg. 7 , 8 , 12…”

“… 3 – 6 Such estimates are particularly scarce for the – mostly preterm – infants born weighing less than 1.50 kg. 7 , 8 Data from sub-Saharan Africa on the degree to which low birth weight increases the risk of mortality and illness in the post-neonatal period are lacking but are needed to target interventions. Caregivers who think an infant is likely to die may be less likely to seek care for the infant, especially if the infant is fragile and small and the affected household is poor and far from a health facility.…”

Evaluation of growth and development pattern in normal, low and very low birth weight neonates at 18 months of age

“…Van der mei et al ., in a study on comparison of NLBW and VLBW neonates’ growth with reference population (LBW neonates) showed that mean weights of MLBW and VLBW at ages of 2,6,18,48 and 96 months were lower than reference group. [8] Power et al ., in a cohort study monitored 135 very low birth weight infants (gestational age: 23-35 weeks) to 3 years of age at San Antonio, Texas, and showed that weight-gaining pattern in VLBW with gestational age ≥27 weeks was low in the first 12 months and got an ascending trend at the age of 18 months. It had an improvement until 30 months of age while growth disorder in neonates whose gestational age was ≤26 weeks was constant until the age of 3 years.…”