The purpose of the authors in this article was to evaluate the effects of supplementing maternal milk with two different caloric formulas on the growth of premature newborns until they reached 40 weeks of post-conceptional age. Seventy premature infants weighing < 1750g at birth were randomized: 35 adequate for gestational age (AGA) and 35 small for gestational age received maternal milk and either a special preterm formula or a modified formula. Anthropometric measurements and clinical evaluations were used to determine the nutritional status and the postnatal growth of these infants, who were analyzed in six different moments: at maximum weight loss, at return to birth weight, at definite weight gain, when exclusively fed with formula, at 2000g, and when they reached 40 weeks of post-conceptional age. The AGA premature newborns on preterm formula had greater daily weight gain, cephalic circumference increase and growth. The SGA premature newborns on preterm formula had greater daily weight gain and cephalic circumference increase observed from the third week of life onward. The AGA premature newborns on modified formula had less weight gain and smaller increments in the cephalic circumference. The SGA premature on modified formula had the worst anthropometric results. The preterm formula was more efficient than the modified formula in promoting postnatal growth of AGA and SGA premature infants. We believe that, due to their special characteristics, SGA premature should receive individualized nutritional caloric planning
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