Growth charts in neonates

There has been a continuous effort to develop standard growth charts for neonates. Reference growth charts based on cross-sectional intrauterine data were developed from measurement of anthropometric parameters of neonates of different gestations at birth. Similarly postnatal charts for preterm neonates were developed based on longitudinal measurements of infant's parameters over intervals. Fetal-infant growth charts were devised by combining cross-sectional intrauterine data and postnatal infant's longitudinal parameters. Revised Fenton 2013 charts incorporating neonatal anthropometric data look to be most adequate for preterm infants of 22 weeks gestation till 50 weeks post-menstrual age. These growth references describe how infants grew in certain time in a defined population. There was a need of developing growth standard defining growth of healthy population in optimal conditions. WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study charts were developed as growth standards describing the growth of healthy children from term gestation till 5 years of age. Intergrowth 21st growth chart is the new growth standards for preterm infants and looks promising in infants of gestation 33 weeks or more.