Prospective Cohort Study Of Physique Growth Of Infants Born With Different Weights At The Age Of0to6Months

Objective: To investigate the physique growth of infants born withdifferent weights within6months after birth. Methods: Totally341infantswere recruited in this cohort study from the department of child health carein two hospitals in Chongqing from April2011to May2012,including145macrosomia and196normal birth weight infants. Follow-up visit wascarried out monthly with questionnaire and body examination until theinfants reaching6months. Results: Overweight incidences of macrosomiainfants aged0-6months were5.8%,7.0%,4.7%,8.1%,12.8%,7.0%whilethose of normal birth weight infants were respectively1.4%,1.4%,5.0%,5.0%,4.2%,8.4%.Overweight occurred in both groups andsignificant differences were observed between macrosomia group andnormal birth weight group at the5th month (X2=5.695, P=0.034).Inmacrosomia group,weight growth velocity of baby boy was faster than thatof baby girl at1-month-old(t=2.327,P=0.022), however, the result wasinversed at4-5month-old (t=-2.216,P=0.029). Weight growth velocity ofmacrosomia infants was slower at the first3months compared with that of normal weight infants (t=-6.883, P=0.000). There was no difference ingrowth of body length between two groups.The correlation analysisdemonstrated that weight-for-length Z score at6-month-old was positivelycorrelated with birth weight(P<0.05). Conclusions: Development is fasterin macrosomia infants than in normal weight infants at0-6month, however,weight growth velocity is slower in macrosomia infants than in normalweight infants at the first3months. Overweight incidence of5-month-oldmacrosomia infants was the highest. Correlation is observed between birthweight and weight-for-length Z score at6-month-old.