1. New Dutch reference curves for birthweight by gestational age
- Author
-
Jan M. Wit, Gerard H. A. Visser, Paul H. C. Eilers, Hans M.W.M. Merkus, and Patty M. Elferink-Stinkens
- Subjects
Male ,Pediatrics ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Birth weight ,Gestational Age ,Sex Factors ,Pregnancy ,Reference Values ,Sex factors ,medicine ,Fetal growth ,Birth Weight ,Humans ,Growth Charts ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Netherlands ,Retrospective Studies ,Singleton ,business.industry ,Early gestation ,Infant, Newborn ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Gestational age ,medicine.disease ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,Female ,Parity (mathematics) ,business ,Demography - Abstract
Objective To construct new Dutch reference curves for birthweight by parity, sex and ethnic background. Design Retrospective nationwide study. Material and methods Reference curves for birthweight were constructed using the LMS model and were based on 176,000 singleton births in the Netherlands in the year 2001 (approximately 95% of all births in that year). Results Separate birthweight curves were constructed for male and female babies born from primiparous and multiparous women from 25 to 43 weeks gestational age. The reference curves are similar to the Swedish references. Birthweight at early gestation was lower than in the previous Dutch reference curves and higher from term onwards. Infants of Hindustani women had a significantly lower birthweight, so that a separate reference curve was constructed. Conclusion The new Dutch reference curves show a different pattern than the Dutch reference curves collected more than 50 years ago, reflecting changes in prenatal conditions and care.
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF