English

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nearly 80% of deliveries in our country are conducted at home. Many newborn remain not weighed at birth. Low birth weight accounts for 60-80% of neonatal deaths. So it is imperative to develop methodologies, which are simple and sensitive for use at community level, to screen low birth weight babies for their appropriate management. AIMS: The present study was performed to find out the best anthropometric measurement to assess the low birth weight babies at risk. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: It is a prospective study, done in rural hospital in Tumkur, from November 2008 to April 2009. METHODS AND MATERIAL: 500 consecutive live neonates without any congenital malformation and are not sick delivered at rural hospital irrespective of gestational age were subjected to anthropometric measurements within 24 hrs of life. The anthropometric measurements used were head circumference, chest circumference, mid arm circumference, thigh circumference and calf circumference. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: The data was analyzed by using Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC) and the SPSS 16.0 software was used to find out the cut-off values with the highest sensitivity and specificity for birth weight <2500 gm, <2000 gm and <1800 gm. RESULTS: All anthropometric measurements had statistically significant sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value (p<0.001) for identifying <2500 gm, <2000 gm and <1800 gm birth weight babies. However, calf circumference of ≤9.8 cm, thigh circumference of ≤13.2 cm and head circumference of ≤30.3 cm had higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting birth weight babies of <2500 gm, <2000 gm and <1800 gm respectively. However, calf circumference had highest value of correlation co-efficient (0.881) compared to other anthropometric measurements is assessing any low birth weight babies. CONCLUSION: In the present study it is concluded that the calf circumference of ≤9.8 cm, ≤8.7 cm and ≤8.5 cm has maximum sensitivity and specificity compared to other anthropometric measurements. And it can be taken as cut-off value to assess birth weight of <2500 gm, <2000 gm and <1800 gm respectively in community by health workers whenever weighing is not feasible at birth.