Evaluation of 36th month percentile curves in premature children

Introduction: Premature newborns are defined as babies born alive before 37 weeks of pregnancy and after 22 weeks of pregnancy as a viability limit are completed. The aim of this study was to analyze the growth characteristics until 3 years old and prevention of metabolic disease that may occur in adult age at an early phase. Method: This study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study between May 2018 and October 2018 in 18 different Family Medicine Outpatient Clinics of the Central district of the Rize city. All 253 children participating in the study were at least 3 years old and their follow-up visits made by same family physician until 3 years old. Results: It was found that 54.7 % of the premature babies were males (n=123), 42.3% of these were females (n=102), average birth weight of the babies were 2574.49 ±638.79gr and average birth length of the babies were 46.20±4,12cm. According to BMI (Body Mass İndex) evaluations 19,1% of the babies were overweight (n=43), 16% of them were obese (n=36) at the age of two and 20% of them were overweight (n=45), 13.3% of them were obese (n=30) at the age of three. The mean Hb levels of the mothers whom children were overweight or obese at the age of two were statistically lower than the mothers whom children were weak or normal. There was no statictically significant difference between BMI of the children and pregnancy age of mother, follow-up numbers during pregnancy, weight gain during pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding duration, total breastmilk taking duration, starting time of formula or supplementary food (p>0.05). Conclusion: Prevalance of overweight and obesity was 35 % at the age of 2 and was 33.3% at the age of three. According to World Health Organization, worldwide prevalance of childhood overweight and obesity was 6.7% in 2010 and it is expected to reach 9.1% in 2020. Prevalance of overweight and obesity was higher than expected level. When we search reasons of overweight and obesity, there was no significant difference related with maternal factors and feeding patterns. We found significant relationship between maternal anemia and overweight and obesity at the age of two. Key words: Preterm birth, anemia, obesity