Abstract
The clinical value of measuring neonatal abdominal girth is not well established although it is frequently recorded. We studied 43 newborns with gestational ages ranging from 28-40 weeks. Measurements were obtained shortly after birth and before feeding by encircling the abdomen such that the lower border of the tape measure was directly above the umbilicus and the two iliac crests. The data were analyzed by standard regression analysis techniques. The relationship of abdominal girth was greater with weight (r=.90) than with age (r=.83) although both were significant (P<0.05). The regression line for mean abdominal girth as a straight line function of weight is given by: Abdominal girth (cm)=18.90 ± 3.5 (kg). The standard deviation of points around the line equals 1.54 cm. (i.e.standard error of estimate). The following chart shows, at four selected weights, the estimated mean girth as given by the above regression equation.
Preliminary data show that abdominal measurements outside the 95% prediction limits indicate possible gastrointestinal and abdominal pathology. Frequent abdominal girth measurements may be a useful screening procedure for gastrointestinal and abdominal pathology in pre-term and full term newborns.
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Katzenstein, M., Glasser, M., Berezin, S. et al. 678 THE VALUES OF ABDOMINAL GIRTH MEASUREMENT. Pediatr Res 19, 223 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00708
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00708
