ESPE2022 Poster Category 1 Growth and Syndromes (85 abstracts)
Hamad General Hospital, Doha, Qatar
Background: To update the ongoing debate about the use of universal strict vs (local) national intrauterine growth charts, we compared the prevalence of small and large-for-gestational-age (SGA/LGA) infants according to international charts and national growth data.
Methods: We classified singleton births from 33 to 42 weeks of gestation in 2016 and 2019 from Qatar (n = 92431), SGA (birthweight <10th percentile), and LGA (>90th percentile). Using our national data (table 1), we calculated gender and gestational age-specific 10th and 90th percentiles which were used to estimate the proportions SGA/AGA/LGA. These growth data based on the customized chart's methodology were then compared to the international Intergrowth-21st newborn standards and Intergrowth-21st classification.
Results: SGA prevalence using national charts was 9.9% both in males and females. This prevalence was like the average prevalence reported by 15 European countries but significantly different (6.3%) when using the international intergrowth standard. LGA prevalence using national charts was 9.8 and 9.9% in males and females respectively. This prevalence was similar to the average prevalence reported by 15 European countries (10%) but significantly different (14%) when using the international intergrowth standard. (table 2)
I-AGA | I-SGA | I-LGA | Total | |
Q-AGA | 70242 | 103 | 3825 | 74170 |
Q-SGA | 3189 | 5957 | 0 | 9146 |
Q-LGA | 9 | 0 | 9106 | 9115 |
Total | 73440 | 6060 | 12931 | 92431 |
males | females | |
Q-SGA | 9.9% | 9.9%* |
I-SGA | 6.3% | 6.8% |
Q-AGA | 80.3%* | 80.2%* |
I-AGA | 79.7% | 79.2% |
Q-LGA | 9.8% | 9.9%* |
I-LGA | 14.0% | 14.0% | I= Intergrowth. Q= Qatar data *P<0.01 |
Interpretation: Using international instead of national charts in Qatar could lead to growth-restricted infants being reclassified as having normal growth, while some normal infants could be reclassified as having excessive growth (LGA).