Significant weight loss and hypernatremia in exclusively breast-fed neonates

Daniel Jayaraj; Poornima Kumar; Peter Prasanth Kumar Kommu; Lalitha Krishnan

doi:10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20175577

Authors

Daniel Jayaraj Department of Pediatrics, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India
Poornima Kumar Department of Pediatrics, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India
Peter Prasanth Kumar Kommu Department of Pediatrics, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India
Lalitha Krishnan Department of Pediatrics, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Pondicherry, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20175577

Keywords:

Exclusively breast fed, Hypernatremia, Weight loss

Abstract

Background: Weight loss in the early neonatal period is a problem that often goes unrecognized. Weight loss of upto 5-7% of birth weight is normal but losses more that 10% may result in increased morbidity, especially hypernatremia.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of 900, exclusive breastfed inborn babies, >34 weeks gestation and >1800g born in a tertiary care hospital in South India. Babies who were discharged before 96 hours of life, admitted to intensive care and received phototherapy for >24hrs were excluded. Maternal and neonatal variables were collected, and daily weight loss percent was calculated. Data was entered in EPI-INFO and analysed. Independent sample t test was used to compare the means of two independent normally distributed sample groups, ANOVA was used to compare means of more than 2 variables, linear logistic regression was used to find out the relationship between significant weight loss and hypernatremia

Results: The mean birth weight of the cohort was 2937±438.4 g and the gestational age was 38±5weeks. The mean maximum weight loss for the entire cohort was 178.71g (±82.08 g) and the mean percent weight loss was 6.12% (2.69). The mean weight nadir of the entire cohort was 2758.32±425.67g. Mean serum sodium levels for all babies who lost >10% of their birth weight was 145.95 (±2.34) mmol/L

Conclusions: Early neonatal weight loss is a universal phenomenon though often unrecognized. Babies losing more than 10% of birth weight are at risk of morbidities like hypernatremia.

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