Khambalia AZ, et al. – The study outlined the long–term health, mortality, development and educational outcomes for infants born large for gestational age (LGA) at term. LGA infants displayed positive long–term health, development and educational outcomes. Concerns for LGA infants still remain in the perinatal period as a result of birth trauma. However, these complications usually did not persist in postnatal and early childhood.

Methods

• This study consisted of live singletons born at term (37–41 weeks of gestation) in New South Wales, Australia, from 2001 to 2006.

Results

• 49 439 LGA (>90th percentile for birthweight, gestational age and sex) were compared with 400 418 appropriate size for gestational age (AGA; 10th–90th percentile) infants.
• LGA infants had increased risk of birth and neonatal outcomes and hospitalisations, for brachial plexus injury after the neonatal period, and for all causes from 1 to 5 years of age.
• No differences were observed in mortality up to 5 years of age or hospitalisations for type 1 diabetes in childhood.
• LGA infants had lower rates of developmental vulnerability (in kindergarten) and displayed a significant trend (χ² for trend <0.0001) to fewer low scores and more high scores in reading and numeracy (in Year 3) compared with AGA.
• After adjusting for potential confounders, only the relative risk for higher reading scores was statistically significant.