Purpose
The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of breastfeeding and factors which affect late preterm infants’ (LPIs) breastfeeding according to gestational age.
Methods
Participants were LPIs of 34 weeks (n=70), 35 weeks (n=75), and 36 weeks (n=88). Data were collected from July to December, 2011 from four university hospitals in D city. Descriptive statistics and odds ratio were used to compare three groups.
Results
The rate of breastfeeding at 1 week after LPIs’ discharge was 32.9%, 37.3%, 23.9% at 34, 35 and 36 weeks, respectively. The tendency to breastfeed in LPIs of 34 weeks was lower for LPIs born by Cesarean-section, while it was higher for LPIs with a longer period of breastfeeding during hospitalization and higher body weight at the first day of feeding. The prevalence of breastfeeding in LPIs of 35 weeks and 36 weeks was higher for infants with a history of more frequent breastfeeding during hospitalization.
Conclusion
The rate of breastfeeding in LPIs of 36 weeks was the lowest. This study suggests that nurses should give more customized education to mothers with LPIs of 36 weeks during their stay in hospitals.

Citations

• Factors Influencing Breast Milk Feeding in Singleton Late Preterm Infants
  Su Jin Kim, Gun Ja Jang
  Journal of Health Informatics and Statistics.2020; 45(4): 311.     CrossRef
• Prevalence and Predictors of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Late Preterm Infants at 12 Weeks
  Soo Yeon Lee, Gun Ja Jang
  Child Health Nursing Research.2016; 22(2): 79.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The study was done to explore growth variation in head circumference (HC) in extremely premature infants (EPI) with brain injury.
METHODS
A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 79 cohort samples from the archives of the catch-up growth project. Mean age of the infants was 29.2 weeks of gestation and mean HC, 27.1 cm at birth. Their HC measurements were retrieved from the archives up to 6 month of corrected age (CA) and analyzed against history of brain injury during hospitalization.
RESULTS
Overall growth retardation in HC was observed in the cohort sample compared to longer gestation premature infants. EPI with brain injury showed decreased HC compared to infants without brain injury, and resulting growth variation across 6 month of CA. Highest retardation in HC growth was observed in male infants with brain injury.
CONCLUSION
Extreme preterm birth itself may function as a major obstacle against HC growth toward term age in EPI. Sustainability of brain injury could be observed with higher HC growth retardation after term. Evolutionary favor to female infants may exist in HC growth of EPI. Intensive education on HC monitoring is highly suggested for parents of EPI, particularly with children with brain injury.

Citations

• Effects of Direct Practice of Newborn Health Assessment on Students’ Nursing Clinical Competence and Self-Efficacy
  Seol Hui Park, Se Ang Ryu
  Child Health Nursing Research.2016; 22(2): 117.     CrossRef
• Growth of Korean preterm infants in a family‐centered tradition during early infancy: The influence of health risks, maternal employment, and the sex of infants
  Youngmee Ahn, Min Sohn, Sangmi Lee
  Japan Journal of Nursing Science.2014; 11(4): 281.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
An exploratory study was done to examine the validity of the new Ballard scale with extended scoring system(eNBS) in estimating gestational age(AG) in full-term newborns.
METHOD
The eNBS scoring system was extended to include all numbers of total score of NBS and GA to allow a 3-days variation in GA estimation compared to the original scale which has a 2-week variation due to the application of a 5-score interval for the total NBS score and only even numbers for GA. GA by eNBS(GA-eNBS) was compared with GA by LMP(GA-LMP) and GA by standard NBS(GA-sNBS) in 133 full-term newborns. Difference between GA-LMP and GA-eNBS was analyzed for each GA.
RESULTS
Positive correlations were observed in GA-sNBS and GA-eNBS with GA-LMP. There was no difference between GA-LMP and GA-eNBS at 39GA and 40GA. At 37GA and 38GA, GA-eNBS overestimated GA-LMP up to 1 week, while underestimating up to 1 week at 41GA.
CONCLUSIONS
The accuracy of eNBS was validated within 3 days of variation in GA estimation at 39-40GA. Overestimation by eNBS suggests the possible acceleration of fetal maturity in premature newborns, while underestimation, of the deceleration of fetal maturity in postterm newborns.