The catch-up growth follow-up management system use and need for the parents of premature infants after discharge based on a WeChat mini program: A cross-sectional survey in China

Preterm birth is a significant public health concern. To achieve a growth trajectory consistent with the genetic law, a catch-up growth strategy must be adopted for these infants to achieve normal growth and development. The aim of this study is to investigate the use requirements of a WeChat mini program-based post-discharge catch-up growth follow-up management system for the parents of preterm infants. A cross-sectional survey method was used to collect data from 417 parents of preterm infants in the child health unit of a hospital in Sichuan Province, China, between December 1, 2021 and August 23, 2022. This study used a questionnaire composed of 2 sections, including basic information of parents of preterm babies and their functional requirements for a WeChat mini program-based post-discharge catch-up growth follow-up management of preterm infants (content validity was 0.921 and Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.891). The 417 parents who completed the questionnaire were between 22 and 46 years old, with an average age of 32.54 ± 3.92 years. The factors that influence the demand for WeChat mini program functions for managing the catch-up growth of preterm infants after discharge include occupation, education level, family structure, number of births, residential area, and frequency of using WeChat (P < .05). The demand for the WeChat mini program for post-discharge catch-up growth management among parents of preterm babies is high. The contents and functions of the WeChat mini program can be further enriched and improved to meet the needs of parents of preterm infants of different birth ages.