Birthweight charts customised for maternal height optimises the classification of small and large‐for‐gestational age newborns

Zeegers, Bert; Offerhaus, Pien; Hoftiezer, Liset; Groenendaal, Floris; Zimmermann, Luc J. I.; Verhoeven, Corine; Gordijn, Sanne J.; Nieuwenhuijze, Marianne J.

Abstract

Aim
To construct birthweight charts customised for maternal height and evaluate the effect of customization on SGA and LGA classification.

Methods
Data were extracted (n = 21 350) from the MiCaS project in the Netherlands (2012–2020). We constructed the MiCaS-birthweight chart customised for maternal height using Hadlock's method. We defined seven 5-centimetre height categories from 153 to 157 cm until 183–187 cm and calculated SGA and LGA prevalences for each category, using MiCaS and current Dutch birthweight charts.

Results
The MiCaS-chart showed substantially higher birthweight values between identical percentiles with increasing maternal height. In the Dutch birthweight chart, not customised for maternal height, the prevalence of SGA (<p10) decreased with increasing maternal height category, from 19.7% in the lowest height category to 3.4% in the highest category (range 16.3%). Conversely, the prevalence of LGA (>p90) increased with increasing height category, from 1.4% in the lowest height category to 21.8% in the highest category (range 20.4%). In the MiCaS-birthweight chart, SGA and LGA prevalences were more constant across maternal heights, similar to overall prevalences (SGA range 3.3% and LGA range 1.7%).

Conclusion
Compared to the current Dutch birthweight chart, the MiCaS-birthweight chart customised for maternal height shows a more even distribution of SGA and LGA prevalences across maternal heights.

Citation

Zeegers, B., Offerhaus, P., Hoftiezer, L., Groenendaal, F., Zimmermann, L. J. I., Verhoeven, C., Gordijn, S. J., & Nieuwenhuijze, M. J. (2024). Birthweight charts customised for maternal height optimises the classification of small and large‐for‐gestational age newborns. Acta Paediatrica, 113(10), 2203-2211. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17332

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 13, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jun 22, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-10
• Deposit Date: Aug 30, 2024
• Journal: Acta Paediatrica
• Print ISSN: 0803-5253
• Electronic ISSN: 1651-2227
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 113
• Issue: 10
• Pages: 2203-2211
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.17332
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/37140438
• Publisher URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.17332