A 2,000 gram infant has lost 200 grams in the first week of life. Which statement regarding this weight loss is TRUE?

A 2,000 gram infant has lost 200 grams in the first week of life. Which statement regarding this weight loss is TRUE?

• A. Weight loss of 10-15% in term infants is normal.
• B. Diuresis in the first week of life with 10-15% weight loss in preterm infants is normal.
• C. Any weight loss in the first week is abnormal.
• D. Weight loss is not expected in preterm infants.

Answer: (B)

Weight loss in the first week after birth is common because newborns shed excess fluid and may have limited intake while adjusting to feeding. In preterm infants, this fluid loss can be more pronounced, and diuresis often occurs early, with weight loss in the 10–15% range considered normal if there is appropriate urine output and clinical stability. In this scenario, a 2,000 g infant loses 200 g, which is exactly a 10% reduction. That level of loss fits the expected pattern for a preterm infant during the first week when diuresis is occurring, so the statement describing this as normal for preterm infants is the best fit. If the infant were term, far less weight loss would typically be considered normal (generally around 7–10%), and more substantial loss would prompt closer monitoring. Other options are less accurate because a small amount of weight loss is expected, and preterm infants can experience weight loss up to about 15% with diuresis, rather than none or a blanket statement that all loss is abnormal.

Weight loss in the first week after birth is common because newborns shed excess fluid and may have limited intake while adjusting to feeding. In preterm infants, this fluid loss can be more pronounced, and diuresis often occurs early, with weight loss in the 10–15% range considered normal if there is appropriate urine output and clinical stability.

In this scenario, a 2,000 g infant loses 200 g, which is exactly a 10% reduction. That level of loss fits the expected pattern for a preterm infant during the first week when diuresis is occurring, so the statement describing this as normal for preterm infants is the best fit. If the infant were term, far less weight loss would typically be considered normal (generally around 7–10%), and more substantial loss would prompt closer monitoring.

Other options are less accurate because a small amount of weight loss is expected, and preterm infants can experience weight loss up to about 15% with diuresis, rather than none or a blanket statement that all loss is abnormal.