Anthropometry After Prematurity and Foetal Growth Restriction in Childhood and Adolescence

TL;DR

The study shows that being born preterm or with abnormal fetal growth affects children's height, weight, and head size, emphasizing the need for early monitoring and interventions.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into how varying degrees of prematurity and fetal growth deviations affect anthropometric outcomes in children and adolescents.

Findings

Lower gestational age is associated with reduced height, weight, and head circumference across childhood and adolescence.

SGA birth is consistently linked to shorter height, lower weight, and smaller head circumference, especially in school age and adolescence.

LGA birth is associated with increased height at school age and higher weight in early childhood and adolescence.

Abstract

Limited evidence exists on how different degrees of prematurity and foetal growth deviations impact anthropometric outcomes during childhood and adolescence.

The Gutenberg Prematurity Study Young (GPSY) is a retrospective cohort with prospective assessments of 4–17‐year‐olds born preterm or at term at the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany. Participants were classified by gestational age and birth weight into five categories: severely small for gestational age (SGA; < 3rd percentile), moderately SGA (3rd–< 10th percentile), appropriate for gestational age (AGA; 10th–90th percentile), moderately large for gestational age (LGA; > 90th–97th percentile) and severely LGA (> 97th percentile). Anthropometric parameters were analysed using multivariable regression models.

Among 949 participants (median age 12.0 years; 52% female), lower gestational age was associated with reduced height and smaller head circumference across all ages, and lower weight in early childhood and adolescence. SGA birth was consistently linked to shorter height, lower weight, lower BMI in school‐aged children, and smaller head circumference, especially at school age and adolescence. LGA birth was associated with increased height at school age and higher weight in early childhood and adolescence.

These findings underscore the need for targeted growth monitoring and early interventions to optimise long‐term health trajectories.

Limited evidence exists on how different degrees of prematurity and deviations in foetal growth affect growth outcomes during childhood and adolescence.Children born preterm or small for gestational age showed reduced height, weight, BMI, and head circumference, whereas those born large for gestational age demonstrated increased growth parameters.These findings highlight the importance of targeted growth monitoring and early interventions to optimise long‐term health outcomes

Limited evidence exists on how different degrees of prematurity and deviations in foetal growth affect growth outcomes during childhood and adolescence.

Children born preterm or small for gestational age showed reduced height, weight, BMI, and head circumference, whereas those born large for gestational age demonstrated increased growth parameters.

These findings highlight the importance of targeted growth monitoring and early interventions to optimise long‐term health outcomes

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