Routine Infant Growth Monitoring: Variations in Practice Among Primary Care Providers

Abstract

Background: Paediatric routine growth monitoring (RGM) is widely practiced despite little evidence in the literature to support it. The objective of this study was to better understand RGM practices during infancy among primary care providers in British Columbia to inform policy, practice and future research. 

Methods: A cross-sectional mixed methods design using an electronic survey with Likert-type and open text responses was used to study routine growth monitoring practices by family physicians, nurses and midwives. 

Results: 212 respondents. Key findings: duplication of RGM during infancy among disciplines; only 39% used the recommended metric (weight-for-length); 28% did not use EMRs to plot RGM data. Many believe RGM to be important but others question its necessity and report challenges and potential harms. 

Conclusion: This study highlights several ways that RGM during infancy could be improved through transdisciplinary policy, education and research to mitigate potential harms and improve efficiency.