Correlation between neonatal foot length and gestational age: a tertiary care hospital-based study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20261896Keywords:
Foot length, Gestational age, Preterm, Newborn, Anthropometry, Low birth weightAbstract
Background: Accurate gestational age (GA) assessment is crucial for neonatal care, particularly in resource-limited settings where ultrasonography and trained personnel may be unavailable. Foot length measurement offers a simple, low-cost alternative for identifying preterm newborns who require specialized care.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Mother Hospital, Thrissur, Kerala, from December 2022 to December 2023. Two hundred healthy newborns above 34 weeks gestation were included. Foot length was measured using sliding calipers with millimeter accuracy. Gestational age was calculated from the last menstrual period. Other anthropometric parameters including head circumference, crown-heel length and birth weight were also measured. Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis were performed to determine the relationship between foot length and gestational age.
Results: Of 200 neonates studied, 59% were male and 41% female; 77% were term and 23% preterm. Mean foot length was significantly higher in term babies (7.89±0.29 cm) compared to preterm babies (7.23±0.22 cm). Foot length showed a strong positive correlation with gestational age (r=0.76, p<0.001), which was superior to correlations with head circumference (r=0.37), crown-heel length (r=0.62) and birth weight (r=0.69). The regression equation derived was: gestational Age=15.614+2.814×foot length. ROC curve analysis demonstrated excellent discriminatory ability (AUC=0.945) with an optimal cut-off of 7.55 cm (sensitivity 91.3%, specificity 91.6%).
Conclusions: Neonatal foot length is a reliable, simple and accurate proxy measure for gestational age assessment. This measurement can be effectively utilized by trained or untrained personnel in resource-poor settings for early identification of preterm newborns requiring specialized care.
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