An Analysis Of Early Gastrointestinal Nutrition Intake And Weight Gain Of Low Birthweight Infants

Objective To investigate the early gastrointestinal nutrition intake ability of low birthweight infants, and to evaluate and analyze the relationships between early gastrointestinal nutrition and weight gain, and, accordingly to suggest a clinical nutritional guidance for preterm infants in hospital stay that improves the quality of survival.Methods 71 low birthweight infants without any complications were studied. They were all term infants with gestational age of 32.4 to 34.4 weeks and were grouped according to their birthweight. 41 infants were in the group of birthweight 1500g ～ <2000g, while 30 were in the group of birthweight ≥2000g～2500g. The quantities of intake of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, linoleic acid, fluid and calorie of the first two weeks following birth, number of days for weight loss to the minimum, number of days for weight to regain to birthweight, weight gain following weight regained to birthweight were recorded respectively. Daily nutrition intake graph and growth curves (daily measure of weight, and, weekly measure of crown circumference and height) are plotted to analyze and compare the nutritional intake and growth among the two groups of infants. Each of these two groups of infants were further divided into two sub-groups by body weight above or below the tenth percentile of the average body weight, at the time when they reached the stable weight gain period (the first day when weight regained to birthweight), then the intake of nutrition between the two sub-groups was compared.Results ① As per unit of weight, there was no significant difference between the group of birthweight ≥2000g～2500g and the group of birthweight 1500g ～ <2000g in fluid intake in the first week following birth ; In the second week following birth , the group of birthweight≥2000g～2500g had significant increase in fluid intake as compared with the group of birthweightl500g ～ <2000g. The group of birthweight ≥2000g～2500g had also significant increase in energy intake in the second week following birth as compared with the group of birthweight 1500g ～ <2000g. ② Both group had weight loss to the minimum on the fourth day after birth and the physical weight loss was 3.3% ~4.2%. The group of birthweight 1500g ～ <2000g regained weight to birthweight on the eighth day after birth, while the group of birthweight ≥2000g～2500g on the ninth day after birth. Weight gain in the stable weight gain...