The mean length of the preterm babies at birth was 44.29
±2.44 cm. The length increased at a rate of 0.06 cm/day in the
first week and by 0.10-0.16 cm/day in the next three weeks.
Thereafter it increased at a rate of 0.11-0.12 cm/day till four
months. The net increment was 13.5 cm at the end of four
months. The mean length of the term SGA babies at birth was
46.84 ±1.57 cm. It increased at a rate of 0.07 cm/day in the first
week and then by 0.14-0.16 cm/day in the next three weeks.
Thereafter, the increment was at a uniform rate of 0.12 cm/day
till four months. The net increment was 15 cm at the end of
four months. The lengths of babies in both the groups grew
by parallel increments. The differences in the gains at all the
intervals of the recording were insignificant