Body Weight, Length and Head Circumference at Birth in a Cohort of Turkish Newborns

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Abstract

Objective: Intrauterine growth references are primarily useful indicators in the assessment of the general health status of newborn infants. Although Lubchenco’s references are still used in many neonatal care units, we believe that there is a need for up-to-date intrauterine growth references specific for different populations. To develop gestational age-and gender-specific national references for birth weight, birth length and head circumference.

Methods: Data were collected from neonatal records of perinatology services of eleven hospitals from January to December 2009. The anthropometry of a total of 4750 singleton live births born between 28 and 41 weeks of gestation were recorded. Means and standard deviations were calculated, and percentiles for each gender and gestational week were produced using the LMS program. The results were compared with US infants and also with local data.

Results: Gestational age- and gender-specific 3 ^rd, 5 ^th, 10 ^th, 15 ^th, 25 ^th, 50 ^th, 75 ^th, 85 ^th, 90 ^th, 95 ^th and 97 ^th percentile values were produced. Comparison of the 10 ^th, 50 ^th and 90 ^th percentile values showed that the boys were heavier and longer than the girls. Head circumference values were also higher in the boys. Proportions of small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) infants in the sample were 10.1%, 79.1% and 10.8%, respectively.

Conclusion: These gender- and gestational age-specific references will be of use in clinical practice and also for research purposes until more comprehensive, reliable and accessible national data pertaining to the intrauterine growth of Turkish infants are produced.

Conflict of interest:None declared.

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Most cited references 31

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International Small for Gestational Age Advisory Board consensus development conference statement: management of short children born small for gestational age, April 24-October 1, 2001.

P. A. Lee, S Chernausek, A Hokken-Koelega … (2003)

To provide pediatric endocrinologists, general pediatricians, neonatologists, and primary care physicians with recommendations for the management of short children born small for gestational age (SGA). A 13-member independent panel of pediatric endocrinologists was convened to discuss relevant issues with respect to definition, diagnosis, and clinical management of short children born SGA. Panel members convened over a series of 3 meetings to thoroughly review, discuss, and come to consensus on the identification and treatment of short children who are born SGA. SGA is defined as birth weight and/or length at least 2 standard deviations (SDs) below the mean for gestational age ( 2 SD below the mean; this catch-up process is usually completed by the time they are 2 years of age. A child who is SGA and older than 3 years and has persistent short stature (ie, remaining at least 2 SD below the mean for chronologic age) is not likely to catch up and should be referred to a pediatrician who has expertise in endocrinology. Bone age is not a reliable predictor of height potential in children who are SGA. Nevertheless, a standard evaluation for short stature should be performed. A diagnosis of SGA does not exclude growth hormone (GH) deficiency, and GH assessment should be performed if there is clinical suspicion or biochemical evidence of GH deficiency. At baseline, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3, fasting insulin, glucose, and lipid levels as well as blood pressure should be measured, and all aspects of SGA-not just stature-should be addressed with parents. The objectives of GH therapy in short children who are SGA are catch-up growth in early childhood, maintenance of normal growth in childhood, and achievement of normal adult height. GH therapy is effective and safe in short children who are born SGA and should be considered in those older than 2 to 3 years. There is long-term experience of improved growth using a dosage range from 0.24 to 0.48 mg/kg/wk. Higher GH doses (0.48 mg/kg/wk [0.2 IU/kg/d]) are more effective for the short term. Whether the higher GH dose is more efficacious than the lower dose in terms of adult height results is not yet known. Only adult height results of randomized dose-response studies will give a definite answer. Monitoring is necessary to ensure safety of medication. Children should be monitored for changes in glucose homeostasis, lipids, and blood pressure during therapy. The frequency and intensity of monitoring will vary depending on risk factors such as family history, obesity, and puberty.

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The macrosomic fetus: a challenge in current obstetrics.

Tore Henriksen (2007)

There has been a rise in the prevalence of large newborns over a few decades in many parts of the world. There is ample evidence that fetal macrosomia is associated with increased risk of complications both for the mother and the newborn. In current obstetrics, the macrosomic fetus represents a frequent clinical challenge. Evidence is emerging that being born macrosomic is also associated with future health risks. To provide a review of causes and risks, prevention, prediction and clinical management of suspected large fetus/fetal macrosomia, primarily aimed at clinical obstetricians. Medline and EMBASE were searched between 1980 and 2007 by combining either 'fetal macrosomia' or 'large for gestational age' with other relevant terms. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched for the term 'fetal macrosomia'. Although the causes of high birthweight include both genetic and environmental factors, the rapid increase in the prevalence of large newborns has environmental causes. The evidence is extensive that maternal overweight and associated metabolic changes, including type 2 and gestational diabetes, play a central role. There is a paucity of studies of the effect of intervention before and/or during pregnancy on the risk of having an 'overweight newborn'. It appears rational, however, that preventive measures should primarily be implemented before pregnancy and should include guidance about nutrition and physical activity in order to reduce the prevalence of overweight. In pregnancy, limited weight gain, especially in obese women, seems to reduce the risk of macrosomia, as do good control of plasma glucose among those with diabetes. Prediction of fetal macrosomia remains an inaccurate task even with modern ultrasound equipment. There is little evidence that routine elective delivery (induction or caesarean section) for the mere reason of suspected macrosomia should be employed in a general population. Vaginal delivery of a macrosomic fetus requires considered attention by an experienced obstetrician and preparedness for operative delivery, shoulder dystocia and newborn asphyxia.

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Birth weight and adult hypertension and obesity in women.

G Curhan, G Chertow, W Willett … (1996)

Low birth weight has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension, and high birth weight has been associated with increased adult body mass index. Published studies on adults have included only a small number of women. We studied 71 100 women in the Nurses Health Study I (NHS I) who were 30 to 55 years of age in 1976 and 92 940 women in the Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II) who were 25 to 42 years of age in 1989. Information on birth weight, blood pressure, physician-diagnosed hypertension, and other relevant variables was collected by biennial mailed questionnaire. Ninety-five percent of the women were white. Compared with women in the middle category of birth weight (NHS I, 7.1 to 8.5 lb; NHS II, 7.0 to 8.4 lb), the age-adjusted odds ratio of hypertension in NHS I women with birth weights 10 lb had an age-adjusted odds ratio of 1.62 (95% CI, 1.38 to 1.90) of being in the highest (> 29.2 kg/m2) versus the lowest (< 21.9 kg/ m2) quintile of body mass index in midlife. Similar results were seen in the NHS II cohort. Early life exposures affecting birth weight may be important in the development of hypertension and obesity in adults.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J Clin Res Pediatr Endocrinol

Journal ID (publisher-id): JCRPE

Title: Journal of Clinical Research in Pediatric Endocrinology

Publisher: Galenos Publishing

ISSN (Print): 1308-5727

ISSN (Electronic): 1308-5735

Publication date (Print): September 2012

Publication date (Electronic): 11 September 2012

Volume: 4

Issue: 3

Pages: 132-139

Affiliations

[1 ] Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Kayseri, Turkey

[2 ] Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Family Medicine, Kayseri, Turkey

[3 ] Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Department of Neonatology, Kayseri, Turkey

[4 ] Kayseri Maternity and Child Hospital, Department of Pediatric Development, Kayseri, Turkey

Author notes

* Address for Correspondence : GSM : +90 536 323 03 02 E-mail : nihalhatipoglu@ 123456yahoo.com

Article

Publisher Item ID: 207

DOI: 10.4274/Jcrpe.693

PMC ID: 3459161

PubMed ID: 22664362

SO-VID: c35db593-26e5-49c8-8149-fc61c8e3094b

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Body Weight, Length and Head Circumference at Birth in a Cohort of Turkish Newborns

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Abstract

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Animal models of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR)

Most cited references 31

International Small for Gestational Age Advisory Board consensus development conference statement: management of short children born small for gestational age, April 24-October 1, 2001.

The macrosomic fetus: a challenge in current obstetrics.

Birth weight and adult hypertension and obesity in women.

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