ESPE Abstracts

Introduction: This was a population-based retrospective data analysis. The study was part of the Vulnerable Newborn Study, approved by the Hamad Medical Corporation Institutional Review Board (IRB No MRC-01-21-277).

Setting and Participants: The population for this analysis comprised of a 4-year cohort data (January 2016 to December 2019) for births conducted in all HMC hospitals (representing 90% of all births in the country). The inclusion criterion for this analysis was term singleton live births, 37+0 to 42+6 weeks gestation, giving a final sample size of 80722 births. The outcome variables recorded were gestational age (GA), gender, birth weight, length, and abdominal and head circumference. Other covariates recorded were maternal age, mode of delivery. Women had a reliable ultrasound estimate of gestational age using crown-rump length before 14 weeks of gestation or biparietal diameter if antenatal care started between 14 weeks and 24 weeks or less of gestation. Newborn anthropometric measures were obtained within 12 h of birth by a well-trained anthropometric team using the same equipment at all sites. GA was calculated by either the calculation from the last menstrual period or early obstetric ultrasound measurements.

Statistical analysis: We summarized the distribution of variables using numbers and percentages, mean and standard deviation (SD). (table) Pearson correlation coefficients explored the relationship between variables. The adjustment was made for maternal age, gender, and gestational age. Analysis was done with STATA 14 software.

Results: 80722 pregnant women were enrolled during the study period. We calculated sex-specific observed and smoothed centiles for weight, length, and head circumference for gestational age at birth. The observed data were presented as the 3rd, 10th, 50th(mean), 90th, and 95th centiles according to GA and sex.

Conclusion: We have developed, for routine clinical practice, national anthropometric standards to assess newborn size that is intended to complement the WHO Child Growth Standards and allow comparisons across multiethnic populations.