Feeding characteristics and growth among children with prenatal exposure to Zika virus with and without microcephaly in the microcephaly epidemic research group pediatric cohort

To describe the feeding characteristics and growth of children with prenatal exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) from birth to 48 months. Using data from the prospective Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group Pediatric Cohort (MERG-PC), children without microcephaly born to mothers with evidence of ZIKV infection during pregnancy (ZIKV-exposed children without microcephaly) and children with Zika-related microcephaly were compared using repeated cross-sectional analyses within the following age strata: birth; 1 to 12; 13 to 24; 25 to 36; and 37 to 48 months. The groups were compared in relation to prematurity, birth weight, breastfeeding, alternative feeding routes, dysphagia and anthropometric profiles based on the World Health Organization Anthro z-scores (weight-length/height, weight-age, length/height-age and BMI-age). The first assessment included 248 children, 77 (31.05