Racial and ethnic disparities in postnatal growth among very low birth weight infants in California.

OBJECTIVE: To identify racial/ethnic disparities in postnatal growth by year and gestational age among very low birth weight infants.

STUDY DESIGN: Total 37,122 infants, with birth weight 500-1500 g or gestational age 23-34 weeks in the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative in 2008-2016. Postnatal growth failure (PGF) was defined as change in weight Z-score from birth to discharge below -1.28. Multivariable regression analysis with birth hospital as random effect was used to estimate odds ratios (OR).

RESULTS: Infants born to Hispanic mothers had highest risk of PGF at 30%, compared to white (24%, OR 1.33), Black (22%, OR 1.50), or Asian/Pacific Islander mothers (23%, OR 1.38). PGF incidence decreased from 2008 (27.4%) to 2016 (22.8%) with differences in trends by race. Each increasing gestational age week was associated with decreasing risk for PGF (OR 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.72-0.74).

CONCLUSION: Targeted interventions addressing PGF are needed to address disparities.