An infant weighs 9 pounds 3 ounces at birth. The nurse plans to make a home visit to the mother and infant when the infant is 7 days old. What is the lowest acceptable weight the infant should be at this age?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the general guidelines, an infant is expected to lose around 5-7% of their birth weight in the first few days after birth. However, they are expected to regain their birth weight by 7-10 days after birth. Therefore, the acceptable weight for a 7-day-old infant can be calculated as follows:

Birthweight = 9 pounds 3 ounces
Weight loss in the first few days = 7% of 9 pounds 3 ounces = 9.63 ounces 
Expected weight on day 7 = Birthweight - Weight loss in the first few days = 8 pounds 9.37 ounces

Therefore, the lowest acceptable weight for a 7-day-old infant is 8 pounds 2 ounces (i.e., B) since it is slightly above the expected weight range.

An Infant Weighs 9 Pounds 3 Ounces at Birth