English

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: India has higher incidence of low birth weight as compared to any other developed country in the world. Also the sequelae of low birth weight like morbidity and mortality due to lack of early identification and treatment is a major problem throughout India. Hence, this study was conducted in Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore with objective of assessing the fetal malnutrition (FM) in term newborns using Clinical assessment of nutritional status (CANS) and comparing with other available methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using 225 full-term neonates delivered at MMC & RI, Mysore, over one month period of June 2013. Birth weight, length, mid arm circumference (MAC) and head circumference (HC) were recorded in the newborns. Ponderal index (PI), wt/GA, MAC: HC ratio and MAC were calculated. Clinical assessment of nutritional status was done on the basis of CAN score and compared with other methods. RESULTS: Total 225 neonates studied with male: female ratio of 1.1:1. CANS found 45.7% (103) neonates with FM. Wt/GA was more sensitive (98.06%) and correlating statistically (p=0.000) with FM detected by CANS. FM detected by PI, MAC: HC ratio and MAC were less correlating and less sensitive to that of CANS (sensitivities=86.40%, 51.45%, and 50.48% respectively). CONCLUSION: Clinical assessment of nutritional status (CANS) being a simple clinical-tool, can detect fetal-malnutrition (FM) without aid of any sophisticated-equipment in term- neonates which are missed by other methods. CANS can be used as a screening-tool in resource- limited settings of India effectively.