Background and aims Small for gestational age babies are at increased risk of growth retardation. This topic lacks attention and deserves better guidance. The objective of this paper is to illustrate the importance of this critical issue and to outline growth prognosis at the beginning of adolescence of female and male babies born small for gestational age in comparison to controls born appropriate for gestational age. It is also a descriptive epidemiologic study of small for gestational age infants.

Methods Our study is a case-control descriptive study of children born small for gestational age in 2002–2003 at CHU-Notre Dame Des Secours hospital, Byblos. The weight, height and head circumference at birth have been retrieved from the medical charts and the diagnosis of intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) have been made based on the growth curves published by I. Oslen et al in 2010. The current height and weight are taken for the two groups and compared with each other using the ‘t test’ for a better understanding of the prognosis of growth in children born SGA.

Results Fourty cases and fourty controls were recruited with neonatal infection and chromosomal abnormalities being the criteria of exclusion. The prevalence of children born SGA is 4.9% in this study. Maternal risk factors including smoking and eclampsia were noted in both groups. The majority of children with IUGR catch similar growth to that of their controls. No adverse consequences are observed in these children at the age of 11–12 years. No correlation observed between IUGR and current weight and height of the children except for the current weight of the girls born SGA which is less compared to that of the controls. None of those children born SGA needed a GH treatment for the achievement of their optimal growth.

Conclusion Children born SGA have similar dimensions in early adolescence compared to those born with a size appropriate for gestational age (AGA) except for the weight of the girls born SGA.