RESUMO
Background: Low birth weight babies is the result of being small for gestational age (i.e. under 10th percentile of the reference population) and preterm (i.e. before 37 weeks of gestation. Preterm infants have higher protein, calorie requirement, which cannot be met with unfortified breast milk feeds.Methods: This study was conducted prospectively in the Department of Pediatrics, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Chidambaram from October 2016 to April 2018. 20 low birth weight babies were selected by randomization technique and they were administered with 2 grams of oral colostrum fortified lactoferrin daily for 4 weeks. The rate of weight gain, length gain and head circumference gain were assessed prospectively for a period of 4 weeks. They were analysed statistically by ANOVA and tabulated. Babies weighing less than 2.5 kg and on exclusive breast feeding, were included. Babies more than 2.5kg and less than 1kg, at risk for neonatal sepsis, congenital heart disease, necrotizing enterocolitis were excluded from the study.Results: In the present study, 20 low birth weight babies were included. 11 maternal risk factors were identified. Out of which anemia stands as a single risk factor. The rate of weight gain in oral colostrum fortified lactoferrin, is 320 grams with P value of 0.703 which is not statistically significant. The rate of length gain is 3.3cm, p value is 0.093 which is statistically insignificant. The rate of head circumference gain in oral colostrum fortified lactoferrin is 2.8cm, with the p-value of 0.001 which is statistically significant.Conclusions: The rate of weight and length gain was normal, but the rate of head circumference gain is significantly increased in oral colostrum fortified lactoferrin supplementation.
RESUMO
Background: Maternal, foetal and placental risk factors have a causative effect in the prematurity and failure to thrive in the early infantile period. Timely diagnosis helps in the anticipation of complications specific to risk factors and managing by impairing their harmful effects on the growth and development of the baby.Methods: The study was conducted prospectively in Department of Paediatrics, Rajah Muthiah Medical College and Hospital, Chidambaram from January 2018 to June 2018. 361 Low birth weight babies were included. Neonates (n=361) weighing less than 2.5 kilograms with parental informed consent are included, whereas those with severe congenital anomaly, systemic disease or infection were excluded from the study. Various known maternal, placental and foetal risk factors are observed during the course of the study. The gestational age of the neonates was estimated using modified Dubowitz scoring. Other factors like mode of delivery of the babies were also noted. Statistical analysis (descriptive statistics) was done by using Microsoft Word 2010.Results: Out of 1040 babies born from January to July 2018, 341 babies weight less than 2.5 kg. Out of which 162 (44.88%) babies were born preterm. Of the full term births 52% were low birth weights The risk factors of the neonates are not mutually exclusive. In the present study 28 maternal risk factors were studied. The prevalence of maternal, fetal and placental risk factors was 85.32%, 74.79% and 6.65% respectively.Conclusions: Period prevalence of low birth weight babies and prematurity is 34.71% and 15.58% respectively. Risk factors are not independent to each other with maternal and foetal risk factors have almost have an effect on nearly three fourths of low birth weight neonates.