Children born small for gestational age (SGA).

SGA (small for gestational age) is a child born with birth weight and/or length (BW/BL) under two standard deviations (2 SDS) for the gestational age and sex of the population. ~5% of all newborn children are SGA. A broad spectrum of factors are found to be causative: maternal, placental, foetal, metabolic, and genetic. In the newborn period the SGA children are at greater risk of life-threatening conditions: hypoglycaemia, hypercoagulability, necrotic enterocolitis, direct hyperbilirubinemia, hypotension, etc. Approximately 10 percent of SGA children do not achieve catch-up growth and remain short (≥-2 SDS) into adulthood. SGA people have an increased incidence of metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, stroke, low bone density and osteoporosis. SGA children aged more than 4 years with no evidence of spontaneous catch-up and with a height≥2.5 SD are considered for growth hormone (GH) treatment.