Comparing child growth between small-for-gestational age twins and singletons in the upstate KIDS cohort

Twins have an increased risk of being small-for-gestational-age (SGA) at birth compared to singletons, but little is known about their growth in childhood. It’s hypothesized that the maternal-fetal unit may become less capable sustaining optimal twin fetuses starting around 32 weeks indicating some smaller size be due adaptation. Whether SGA twins show same postnatal patterns as singletons born SGA, who growth-restricted, unknown. Upstate KIDS collected longitudinal data on child among and singletons. We used linear mixed models compare z scores for height, weight, BMI 0-3 7-9 years age appropriate-for-gestational (AGA) two groups (Figure): uncertain (< 10th percentile birthweight by a singleton reference >10th% reference) true 10th% reference). complicated 9% 29% births using reference. Compared were shorter (β= -0.93; CI -1.06, -0.81) weighed -0.74; -0.83, -0.66) years, while similar (Table). Beta (β) indicates mean difference between groups. By singletons; tended larger than weight (β=0.30; -0.04, 0.65) height (β=0.25; -0.17, 0.67), though differences not significant. Though high percentage classified did follow those are SGA. True slightly toddlerhood, years. In contrast, different phenotype consistent with utero physiologic adaptation.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload Hi-res image Download (PPT)