Postnatal growth of low birth weight infants born in Chillan, Chile, according with urban or rural residence

Abstract

In order to analyze the association between the urban or rural residence of adequate-for-gestational age preterm infants (< 2 500 g, < 36 weeks), with their growth during the first four months of age, we studied eighty infants born between january and september 1995 at the Hospital Herminda Martin in Chillán, Chile (35 urban, and 45 from a rural environment). Their mothers were surveyed for their socioeconomic status; the postnatal infant growth was monthly evaluated at the primary care centers where the infant was followed up. Growth velocity (length) in the 4 mo. showed a non significant difference between rural and urban infants (13.6 vs. 14.5 cm. respectively), with no differences in weight or cranial circumference. Both rural and urban infants whose mothers were smaller to 1.55 m presented a lower length growth than those with taller mothers (p < 0.0009). Between those with birthweight > 2000 g rural infants from low income homes showed a lower length gain than the urban infants (12.7 vs. 15.4 cm p < 0.01). We conclude that the rural preterm babies born at the Hospital Herminda Martin in Chillán have a decreased postnatal growth than the urban infants in the first four months of age.