Abstract
BackgroundSmall-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns constitute a special group of neonates who may have suffered varying degrees of intrauterine insults and deprivation. Variations in birth weight, length and Ponderal Index (PI) depend on the type and degree of intrauterine insults the babies were exposed to. The objective of the study was to determine the current prevalence of term SGA births in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital and the current pattern of Ponderal Indices among term SGA in a population of Nigerian babies.MethodsSubjects comprised of consecutive term singleton mother-baby pairs in the first 24 hours of life. It was a cross sectional study. The anthropometric parameters of each baby were recorded and the PI was also determined.ResultsOut of 1,052 live births during the study period (September to December, 2009), 825 were term, singleton babies. Five hundred and eight-one babies (70.4%) fall into the upper socio-economic classes 1 and II, 193 (23.4%) in the middle class and 51 (6.2%) were of the lower classes IV and V. None of the mothers indicated ingestion of alcohol or smoking of cigarette. Fifty-nine babies (7.2%) were small-for gestational age (SGA). Of the 59 SGA subjects, 26 (44.1%) were symmetrical SGA while 33 (55.9%) were asymmetrical SGA. There was no significant sex or socioeconomic predilection for either symmetrical or asymmetrical growth (p = 0.59, 0.73 respectively).ConclusionThe findings showed that proportionality in SGA fetuses is a continuum, with the PI depending on the duration of intrauterine insult and the extent of its effects on weight and length before delivery.
Highlights
Small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns constitute a special group of neonates who may have suffered varying degrees of intrauterine insults and deprivation
[10] the current study is aimed at determining the prevalence of term smallfor-gestational age babies delivered in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria and to describe the pattern of Ponderal Indices
The prevalence of 7.2% for small-for-gestational age obtained in the current study was similar to the 8.8% obtained in Harare, Zimbabwe [17] but lower than 12.8% and 12.01% in two earlier Nigerian studies in Sagamu [5] and Ilesa [6] respectively
Summary
Small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns constitute a special group of neonates who may have suffered varying degrees of intrauterine insults and deprivation. One of the most favoured proportions used in neonatal care is the PI or the weight-length ratio [7], which helps to quantify the weight loss [7] It finds use in sub-classifying SGA babies according to the proportionality of growth restriction. The symmetrical SGA babies have higher tendencies to suffer more morbidities while the asymmetrical ones may have higher incidence of perinatal mortality [7] This helps in making comprehensive perinatal and neonatal care plans. [10] the current study is aimed at determining the prevalence of term smallfor-gestational age babies delivered in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria and to describe the pattern of Ponderal Indices The concept of PI was first introduced by Campbell and Thoms in 1977. [10] the current study is aimed at determining the prevalence of term smallfor-gestational age babies delivered in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria and to describe the pattern of Ponderal Indices
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