Objective:To review the phenomenon of extrauterine growth retardation(EUGR) and to analyze its risk causing factors a-mong very low birth weight infants(VLBWI). Methods:A retrospective review was conducted for hospitalized premature infants from September 2009 to June 2011 in neonatal intensive care unit in the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Inclusion criteria:birth weight <1 500 g,admission time <24 h,hospital stays ≥14 d and free of congenital anomalies and heredity metabolic diseases which have a bad impact on individual growth and development. Exclusion criteria:hospital stays <14 d,abandoning treat-ment or dying before discharge. Selected infants were divided into EUER group and non-EUGR group. Chi-square test,t-test,rank-sum test and binary logistic regression were adopted for statistical analysis. Results:Among included 87 cases of VLBWI,there were 74 cases(85.1%) of EUGR and 13 cases(14.9%) of non-EUGR. Incidence of intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR) was higher in EUGR group(27.6%) than in non-EUGR group(0%). Average gestational age,average discharge age,time of returning to birth weight and time of starting enteral nutrition were longer in EUGR group than in non-EUGR group(P<0.05),however discharge oral energy was lower in EUGR group than in non-EUGR group(P<0.05). According to the logistic regression,risk factors causing EUGR includ-ed:IUGR(OR=0.77),delayed enteral nutrition(OR=12.081),delayed returning to birth weight(OR=48.404)(P<0.05). Conclusions:IUGR,delayed enteral nutrition and delayed returning to birth weight are risk factors of EUGR among VLBWI.