Peer-reviewed article
Postnatal Growth of Moroccan Preterm Infants: Determinants of Incomplete Catch-up Growth and Z-Score Trajectories in a Middle-Income Country.
Latifa Mochhoury, Khaddouj Elgoundali, Milouda Chebabe, Kawtar Chafik, Mohamed Chahboune et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study tracked the growth of 686 premature infants born in Morocco over six months to understand why some do not catch up to normal weight and length. Infants born at 32 weeks or later, and those with multiple older siblings, were more likely to have healthy growth by six months. However, longer hospital stays were associated with poorer growth outcomes. The researchers recommend close monitoring and better nutrition support for preterm babies.
Key points
- Gestational age of 32 weeks or more was associated with better growth outcomes (6.66 times more likely to have normal weight-for-age)
- Infants with multiparity (multiple older siblings) had better growth outcomes (12.09 times more likely to have normal weight-for-age)
- Hospital stays of 10 days or longer reduced the likelihood of normal growth outcomes by 95%
- Male gender and antibiotic use showed trends towards poorer outcomes but were not statistically significant
- Study included 686 premature infants (24-36 weeks gestation) followed for six months with complete growth measurements
Limitations
This is a retrospective cohort study without a comparison group, so causation cannot be established. The study cannot explain the mechanisms behind why longer hospital stays are associated with poorer growth, or whether this reflects severity of illness rather than hospital care itself.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Prematurity and neonatal hypotrophy (defined as a Z-score below -2 for weight, length, or head circumference) increase the risk of perinatal morbidity, mortality, and long-term developmental disorders. This study examines the growth trajectories of Moroccan preterm infants and investigates the factors influencing their overall growth outcomes at six months, including weight, length, and head circumference. Study Design: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study. METHODS: This study was conducted at the National Reference Center for Neonatology and Nutrition in Rabat from April to October 2023. It included 686 premature newborns (24-36 weeks) hospitalized for≥48 hours, with complete anthropometric data and follow-up of six months. Exclusion criteria were major malformations, chromosomal abnormalities, metabolic disorders, and incomplete data. ANOVA and multivariate logistic regression identified independent predictors of weight growth outcomes at six months (WAZ≥-2), adjusting for confounders (gestational age, gender, hospitalization, multiparity, phototherapy, antibiotics, and early food diversification). Results are reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Growth curves were generated with Python. Significance was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: Gestational age of≥32 weeks (OR=6.66, 95% CI: 1.21, 36.72; P=0.029) and multiparity (OR=12.09, 95% CI: 2.12, 68.93; P=0.005) predicted growth outcomes, while a hospital stay of≥10 days reduced the likelihood (OR=0.05, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.27; P=0.001). Male gender and antibiotic use showed non-significant trends (P=0.053). CONCLUSION: Close monitoring and targeted nutritional strategies are essential to improve postnatal growth in preterm infants.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Close monitoring and targeted nutritional strategies for postnatal growth in preterm infants
- Population
- 686 premature newborns aged 24-36 weeks hospitalized for at least 48 hours in Morocco
Key finding
Gestational age ≥32 weeks predicted better weight growth outcomes (OR=6.66, 95% CI: 1.21, 36.72)