ProVIDe Study

Being born very small has long term effects on growth and neurodevelopment. Up to 50% of extremely low birth weight babies experience some neurodevelopmental impairment in childhood.

ProVIDe stands for 'Protein intravenous nutrition for extremely low birth weight babies: impact on development'. It is a randomised controlled trial investigating how increasing protein intake in the first days after birth in extremely low birth weight babies affects their growth, metabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

There is international agreement that increased protein intake in the neonatal period improves both growth and neurodevelopment, however the optimal amount of protein required is not known.
ProVIDe has recruited 430 very low birth weight babies (<1000 g) across neonatal intensive care units in NZ, and the study team has started following up the babies once they are two years old.

For more information email the study coordinator.