Foetal Development and

Growth of Preterm
Infants
Courtesy of Prof. A. Lucas
 Fetal Nutrition & Metabolism
• Significant amount of animal data
– Rats
– Sheep
• Very limited information in Humans
– Growth data
– Fetal body composition data (cadaver analysis)
– Little physiological data
Growth
 Growth charts for length, weight, head circumference and
weight length ratios at various gestational ages
Carnielli VP 6010

Lubchenco Pediatrics 1966

 Growth chart at various gestational ages

Adequate Gestational Age

LGA
Large Gestational Age

AGA

SGA
Small Gestational Age
Carnielli VP 6010

Lubchenco Pediatrics 1966

 Growth chart at various gestational ages

B
A
D
Carnielli VP 6010

Lubchenco Pediatrics 1966

 Quality of Growth
Tissue Composition
24 wk = 75 g

40 wk = 400 g
 Intrauterine Accretion Rates

• Weight = 15 g/kg/day

• Head Circumference 0.9 cm/week

• Length 1.1 cm/week

 Growth chart at various gestational ages
Carnielli VP 6010

Lubchenco Pediatrics 1966

“upward weight centile crossing”

Gibson AT Horm Res 2000;53(suppl 1):42–49

 Sindrome Metabolica = X-
Syndrome

Una piccola taglia alla nascita si associa ad

aumentato rischio di sviluppare una
sindrome metabolica caratterizzata da:
Intolleranza al glucosio
Ipertensione arteriosa
Dislipidemia
e patologie ad essa correlate quali la
malattia cardiovascolare in età adulta.