OBJECTIVES: To explore the status and risk factors of neuropsychological development in small for gestational age (SGA) infants at corrected 12-24 months of age. METHODS: Clinical data were retrospectively collected for 754 SGA infants at corrected ages 12-24 months in Shenzhen Bao'an Women and Children's Hospital between April 2018 and December 2023. Developmental quotient (DQ) levels were analyzed. According to the presence of global developmental delay (GDD), participants were divided into a GDD group (71 cases) and a control group (683 cases), and the incidence and influencing factors of GDD were investigated. RESULTS: In the high-risk preterm SGA group, the total DQ and DQ in all domains were lower than in the full-term SGA group (P<0.017). The overall incidence of GDD was 9.4% (71/754) and increased with decreasing gestational age (P<0.017). Compared with the control group, the GDD group had higher proportions of males; low-risk and high-risk preterm birth; mothers with less than a bachelor's degree; multiple birth; neonatal hypoglycemia; neonatal pneumonia; neonatal respiratory distress syndrome; bronchopulmonary dysplasia; and, at corrected 12-24 months, low body weight, growth retardation, and microcephaly. The length of neonatal hospital stay was longer in the GDD group than in the control group (P<0.05). The weight-for-age Z score, length-for-age Z score, and head circumference-for-age Z score at birth and at corrected 12-24 months were lower in the GDD group than in the control group (P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression showed that male sex and maternal education below a bachelor's degree were independent risk factors for GDD in SGA infants (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Neuropsychological development in preterm SGA infants is comparatively delayed; male SGA infants born to mothers with less than a bachelor's degree should receive priority attention.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Infant, Small for Gestational Age/psychology* ; Risk Factors ; Infant ; Retrospective Studies ; Child Development ; Developmental Disabilities/epidemiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Child, Preschool

Objective: To investigate the second or third trimester pregnancy-related anxiety on small-for-gestational-age infants. Methods: This study was based on Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study (MABC), with 3 040 maternal-singleton pairs finally selected for data analysis, from May 2013 to September 2014. The psychological state of pregnancy was evaluated according to a self-developed 'anxiety scale for gestation'. Small-for-gestational-age was defined as 'having birth weight below the 10(th) percentile at a particular gestational week', while large-for-gestational-age infants was defined as 'having birth weight above the 90(th) percentile'. Birth weight between the 10(th) and 90(th) percentile was classified as appropriate-for-gestational age infants. χ(2) test was used to compare the distribution of characteristics in pregnancy among three groups with different birth weights. Multivariate logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate the associations between third trimester pregnancy- related anxiety and birth weight. Results: The incidence rates of small- and large-gestational-age infants were 9.6% and 16.6%, respectively. Difference between women with only one of the second or third trimester pregnancy-related anxiety syndromes and small-for-gestational-age infants showed no statistical significance. Women with both second and third trimester pregnancy-related anxieties might increase the risk of small-for-gestational-age infants (OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.04-1.87). However, there was no significant difference between pregnancy-related anxiety and large-for- gestational-age infants (OR=1.05, 95%CI: 0.81-1.35) noticed. Conclusion: Women with second and third trimester pregnancy-related anxiety appeared a risk factor for small-for-gestational-age infants.
Anxiety/psychology* ; Birth Weight ; China/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Small for Gestational Age ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications/psychology* ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third/psychology*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the difference in quality of life (QOL) between small for gestational age (SGA) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants during early childhood, and to investigate the factors influcing the QOL.

METHODSThe Infant and Toddler Quality of Life Questionnaire-47 (ITQOL-SF47) was used to investigate the QOL of 1 to 3-year-old children born SGA and AGA who visited the child health care division. QOL was compared between SGA (n=203) and AGA groups (n=130), between the catch-up (n=119) and no-catch-up subgroups (n=84) of children born SGA, and between the single healthcare (n=144) and multiple healthcare subgroups (n=59) of children born SGA. The generalized linear model was used to investigate the factors influencing the QOL.

RESULTSThe total ITQOL score of the SGA group was significantly lower than that of the AGA group (630±99 vs 716±84; P<0.05). In children born SGA, the no-catch-up subgroup had a significantly lower total ITQOL score than the catch-up subgroup (602±96 vs 649±97; P<0.05), and the single healthcare subgroup had a significantly lower total ITQOL score than the multiple healthcare subgroup (616±94 vs 657±107; P<0.05). The generalized linear model analysis showed that in children born SGA who had catch-up or multiple healthcare visits, who were female or living in the Chongqing urban area, or their mothers had a higher educational levels had higher total ITQOL score.

CONCLUSIONSSGA infants have lower QOL than AGA infats during their early childhood. Proper promotion of catch-up growth and regular healthcare visits will contribute to the improvement of the QOL of SGA infants. The QOL of SGA infants is also influcenced by children's sex, residence and the degree of mothers' educational levels.

Child, Preschool ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Small for Gestational Age ; psychology ; Male ; Quality of Life