The Project aims to:

a) promote optimal postnatal growth of preterm infants until 6 months post-term and

b) standardise growth measurement in selected populations around the world, based on implementation of the INTERGROWTH-21^st international standards and evidence-based feeding recommendations.


Specifically, we wish to identify healthcare institutions that provide care to preterm babies and infants and establish an online community of health professionals who are able to apply the feeding protocol and monitor preterm postnatal growth using the INTERGROWTH- 21^st standards.

We plan to implement the growth monitoring and feeding protocols in selected, leading neonatal units and, ultimately, gain high-level health policy support for these practices. The combination of using recommended feeding practices and international standards to monitor postnatal growth and development should help to: a) avoid nutritional patterns that may be associated with childhood overweight and obesity, and b) improve the growth, development and survival of preterm infants.