Determination of Fetal Malnutrition in Preterm Newborns

Abstract

See, stats, and : https ://www. researchgate. net/ publication/ 270707101 Determination Newborns Article DOI : 10.11648/j.jfns.20130104.14 READS 51: Beatrice University 4 SEE All - text , letting . Available : Beatrice Retrieved : 17 Abstract : Background : Fetal malnutrition has been associated with an increased risk of neonatal morbidities and mortalities and its proper documentation in a newborn is essential for optimal management of the child . Objective : To determine the nutritional status of preterm newborns at birth using CANSCORE and anthropometry and to compare the relative efficiency of CANSCORE and the anthropometric indices in detecting FM . Methods : The study was carried out on consecutive , singleton , live born babies of ≥28 completed weeks through 36 weeks gestation born at Lagos University Teaching Hospital , Lagos , Nigeria without any major congenital abnormalities or severe perinatal illness . Each infant was examined by the investigator within 48 hours of birth . Birth weights and lengths were recorded for each infant at birth . Using the Oloweintrauterine growth chart , birth weights for gestational age below the 3rd percentile and above the 97th percentile on the chart were taken as small for gestational age and large for gestational age respectively . PI was computed from the formula : PI = weight (g) / length 3 (cm) X100 . A PI <2 . 2 was considered as malnutrition . The MAC / HC ratio was calculated for each infant and value plotted on and compared with a standard curve . Clinical assessment of nutritional status score (CANSCORE) consisted of inspection and estimation of loss of subcutaneous tissues and muscles in the designated areas . A maximum score of 4 was awarded to each parameter with no evidence of malnutrition , and the lowest score of 1 was awarded to parameter with the worst evidence of malnutrition . Fetal malnutrition was defined as CANSCORE less than 25 . Statistical analysis was done using the Epi info statistics software version 3 . 5 . 1 . Results : One hundred and forty preterm newborns were assessed . One hundred and eight (77%) of them were of LBW . CANSCORE identified 34 . 3% of the babies as FM while PI , MAC / HC and birth weight identified 30 . 7% , 12 . 1 and 3 . 6% of the babies , respectively , as FM . The mean CANSCORE and anthropometry between males and females were not significantly different (p >0 . 05) . Both CANSCORE and PI detected significantly large numbers of FM in the study sample compared with birth weight . All the anthropometric parameters showed low sensitivity in detection of FM (which is the visible wasting or loss of subcutaneous tissues and muscles) but they all had high specificity . Conclusion : FM is still prevalent in our environment even in preterm babies . CANSCORE identified moremalnourished subjects than anthropometry .