Extremely low birthweight infants: issues related to growth.
While survival rates are increasing in the extremely low birthweight (ELBW) group of preterm infants, the most common morbidity among these infants is inadequate growth. By the time of discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit, many ELBW infants develop extrauterine growth restriction. Several issues related to improving the growth of ELBW infants, including defining adequate growth and developing evidence-based nutritional strategies, are discussed in this article. Suggestions for future research are also presented.
Carroll
Julia
J
College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Slobodzian
Renee
R
Steward
Deborah K
DK
D001823:Body Composition; D001997:Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia / Q000209:etiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000209:etiology; D002149:Energy Intake; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005865:Gestational Age; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods*; D009017:Morbidity; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D015996:Survival Rate; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology