The gestational age variable

Abstract

Most clinical studies of prematurity use birth weight or gestational age as the major variable for stage of development. Although birth weight is easier to measure with precision, it does not accurately reflect developmental stage. Gestational age estimates are much more accurate than in the past because the near universal use of early gestation ultrasound examinations permit quite accurate gestational dating. Leviton and colleagues develop the concept in a Medical Progress report that gestational age is a complex variable that may contain much more information than simply the development stage of the fetus in weeks and days.