Muscle mass of intrauterine growth retarded babies in first nine months of life
Bhatia, B.D.; Agarwal, K.N.; Jain, N.P.
Indian Pediatrics 20(9): 671-676
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 6687121 Document Number: 219340
Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) was caused in 41 term infants by maternal undernutrition, small maternal body size, toxaemia or idiopathy. Mothers of those and of term and preterm infants who were appropriate for gestational age (AGA) were comparable for age, parity, socioeconomic status, weight and height. IUGR infants from undernourished mothers had least values for muscle mass; next to them were IUGR of small mothers. IUGR infants from mothers with toxaemia showed catch-up growth for muscle mass. The idiopathic group was growth-retarded initially but grew very fast between 3 and 6 months old to approach the toxaemic group. Preterm AGA infants showed better muscle growth than IUGR infants of undernourished and small mothers. Skinfold thickness was least in IUGR infants from undernourished mothers at 9 months old.