Newborns who are SGA often have difficulty with which of the following?

• A. Maintaining thermoregulation
• B. Coordination of movements
• C. Achieving visual milestones
• D. Digestive assimilation

Answer: (A)

Newborns who are classified as small for gestational age (SGA) often struggle with maintaining thermoregulation. This difficulty arises because SGA infants typically have reduced subcutaneous fat and immature physiological processes that are essential for heat production and retention. These factors make it challenging for them to regulate their body temperature effectively, putting them at increased risk for hypothermia.

The other options, while they may also present challenges for some newborns, do not specifically correlate with the typical physiological issues seen in SGA infants. For instance, coordination of movements, visual milestones, and digestive assimilation might be influenced by a variety of factors, not strictly related to being SGA. In contrast, thermoregulation is a critical immediate concern for SGA newborns due to their unique developmental characteristics and risks associated with their size.