A survey of birthweight percentile curves used in hospitals across Ontario.

Abstract

The practice of weighing newborns enables the distinction between healthy weight babies and those who are either small for gestational age (SGA) or large for gestational age (LGA). Because SGA and LGA newborns experience greater morbidity and mortality, such categorization potentially influences clinical care and the expectations of the child’s parents (1). There is evidence that, relative to non-SGA infants, those classified as SGA have significantly longer stays in neonatal intensive care units, extended use of continuous positive airway pressure ventilation, and more use of supplemental oxygen (2). In other words, correctly classifying an infant as SGA or LGA, or neither, is important. Birthweight percentile curves (or ‘charts’) are the classic method to visually determine whether a newborn is SGA, LGA, or of appropriate weight for gestational age and sex; however, it is not clear whether newborn centres use the same type of chart. Therefore, we surveyed all hospitals in Ontario that provide newborn care to determine which newborn percentile curve they use in their centre.