The relationship of birth weight, Rohrer's ponderal index and child growth daring the first year of life were studied. It is discovered that children born with a low ponderal index of 2.50 or less and a 3.000 gram weight or less suffered growth impairment. At the age of twelve months, they weighed about 1,500 grams less tham those born with a normal ponderal index (2.51 or more). All the children who were born within the normal ponderal index presented approximately the same weight at the end of their first years of life, irrespective of their birth weight. The great advantage of the technique employed is that the period of pregnancy need not be calculated.
Birth weight; Growth; Infant, low birth weight
