RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME OF PREMATURITY AND TIME TO REACH FULL FEEDS IN SMALL FOR GESTATIONAL AGE AND APPROPRIATE FOR GESTATIONAL AGE PRETERM NEONATES IN LESS THAN 34 WEEKS OF GESTATION

Background :Prematurity is a significant public health problem around the world because of the mortality and the associated short term and long-term morbidities.In the perinatal period of premature infants, especially very preterm (28- 32 weeks gestation) and extreme preterm (less than 28 weeks gestation) neonates are noticed to have respiratory distress syndrome of prematurity and its related complications and hence often considered to be too unstable to be fed enterally. Very immature and sick infants are started with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) which results in greater periods of enteral fasting.This study aims to assesses the effect of respiratory distress syndrome on feed intolerance by assessing time to reach full feeds in SGA and AGA preterm (less than 34 weeks gestation) neonates, while on a standardized institutional feeding protocol for preterm infants. It also aims to establish the time to reaching full feeds, in preterm AGA and SGA neonates.