Ano-genital distance in healthy Nigerian full-term newborn infants

Abstract

Background/Aim: In humans, anogenital distance (AGD) appears to provide a reliable guide to androgen exposure during fetal life. The aim of the present study is to determine the normal values for AGD in Nigerian newborns of both genders and to determine its association with birth weight and length. Methods: For this descriptive cross-sectional study, 895 (448 males and 447 females) healthy full-term (37 to 42 weeks’ gestation) infants between the age of 6 to 72 hours delivered in two Nigerian hospitals were recruited for this evaluation. A standardized anthropometric protocol was used to measure AGD, ano-scrotal distance (ASD) and ano-fourchette distance (AFD). The birth weight and the length of all the subjects were also measured and recorded. Results: There was a total of 895 (448 males and 447 females) subjects for the study. The mean birth weights were 3288±472g (95% CI = 3244 - 3332) and 3125±552g (95% CI= 3074 - 3176) for male and female infants, respectively; p Conclusion: The results of this study provide reliable normative values that can be used as a standard with regard to AGD in Nigerian male and female newborns at birth.