Table 2.
Neonatal, feeding and discharge characteristics of the PreM Growth Study cohorts gestational age categories*
| Characteristic | 23 to 25 weeks | 26 to 28 weeks | 29 to 31 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
| N |
227 |
539 |
213 |
| Birthweight (grams) |
715 (124) |
997 (194) |
1071 (169) |
| Gestational age (weeks) |
24.4 (0.7) |
27.1 (0.8) |
29.7 (0.8) |
| Male sex (%) |
51.5 |
51.8 |
55.2 |
| Necrotizing enterocolitis** (%) |
6.1 |
6.0 |
4.4 |
| Supplemental O2 (days) |
92 +/− 36 |
56 +/− 35 |
24 +/− 16 |
| On oxygen at 28 days (%) |
97.2 |
78.5 |
34.7 |
| On oxygen at 36 weeks (%) |
66.2 |
42.8 |
18.5 |
| Feeding : |
|
|
|
| Parenteral nutrition start (day) |
0.4 (0.7) |
0.4 (0.6) |
0.4 (0.7) |
| Minimal enteral feed start (day) |
7.4 (5.9) |
4.4 (3.7) |
2.7 (3.1) |
| Enteral feeds start (day) |
16.7 (9.4) |
9.8 (6.9) |
6.6 (5.3) |
| Full feeds (day) |
34 (15) |
22 (10) |
17 (9.4) |
| Predominant EN feedings: |
|
|
|
| Fortified breastmilk (%) |
77.4 |
77.9 |
80.4 |
| Non-fortified breastmilk (%) |
1.9 |
2.6 |
7.6 |
| Preterm formula (%) |
15.7 |
13.3 |
8.7 |
| Post D/C breastmilk (%) | 50.4 | 52.3 | 67.2 |
* mean (SD).
** stage II or III NEC as defined by modified Bell’s criteria [23].