Characteristics of very low birthweight infants classified as small for gestational age (SGA) or appropriate weight for gestational age matched according to birth weight (AGA-BW) or gestation (AGA-GA)
| AGA-BW | SGA | AGA-GA | |
| Obstetric/neonatal | |||
| Birth weight (g) | 1237 (18) | 1232 (18) | 1982 (43)*** |
| Gestation at birth (weeks) | 29.2 (0.16)*** | 32.4 (0.22) | 32.4 (0.22) |
| Head circumference at birth (cm) | 27.1 (0.21) | 27.6 (0.18) | 30.6 (0.19)*** |
| Length at birth (cm) | 38.6 (0.26) | 38.7 (0.29) | 44.1 (0.31)*** |
| Complication score during pregnancy | 2.3 (0.11) | 2.6 (0.12) | 2.0 (0.12)** |
| Complication score at birth | 4.3 (0.12) | 5.2 (0.12) | 3.8 (0.15)1-150 |
| Complication score, neonatal | 9.8 (0.24)** | 8.7 (0.24) | 6.8 (0.28)*** |
| Duration of treatment index (days) | 68.0 (8.7)1-150 | 48.4 (2.7) | 29.0 (3.0)*** |
| Intensity of neonatal treatment index (days) | 12.6 (0.36)*** | 10.2 (0.37) | 8.6 (0.37)** |
| Duration of ventilation (IPPV) (days) | 17.5 (1.7)** | 10.9 (1.7) | 5.5 (1.7)1-150 |
| Duration of sole parenteral nutrition (days) | 5.8 (0.63)1-150 | 3.9 (0.63) | 2.1 (0.63)1-150 |
| Days until discharge (days) | 80.2 (2.6) | 73.1 (2.9) | 45.6 (3.1)*** |
| Demographic | |||
| Sex (% female) | 49 | 49 | 49 |
| Socioeconomic status (%) | |||
| High | 21 | 18 | 18 |
| Middle | 40 | 40 | 47 |
| Low | 39 | 42 | 35 |
| Maternal age at birth (years) | 29.2 (0.50) | 28.1 (0.46) | 28.8 (0.49) |
| Parity (% firstborn) | 491-150 | 69 | 481-150 |
| Multiple birth (% multiple birth) | 351-150 | 16 | 27 |
| Maternal education (% A levels/University) | 12 | 14 | 12 |
| Single (%) | 5 | 11 | 8 |
Where appropriate, values are expressed as mean (SEM) (n = 115).
↵1-150 p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 vSGA.