Morbidity and Mortality in small for gestational age very low birth weight infants in a middle-income country

Objective: To evaluate the impact of small for gestational age on outcomes of very low birth weight infants at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa. Study design: Data was obtained from Vermont Oxford Network Groote Schuur Hospital database from 2012 to 2018. Fenton growth charts were used to define small for gestational age as birth weight < 10th centile for gestational age. Results: Mortality (28.9% vs 18.5%, adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-2.7), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (14% vs 4.5%, aRR 3.7, 95% CI 2.3-6.1) and late onset sepsis (16.7% vs 9.6%, aRR 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.3) were higher in the small for gestational age than in the non-small for gestational age group. Conclusion: Small for gestational age infants have a higher risk of mortality and morbidity among very low birth weight infants at Groote Schuur Hospital. This may be useful for counseling and perinatal management.