Validity of Newborn Clinical Assessment to Determine Gestational Age in Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Gestational age (GA) is frequently unknown or inaccurate in pregnancies in low-income countries. Early identification of preterm infants may help link them to potentially life-saving interventions.

Methods

We conducted a validation study in a community-based birth cohort in rural Bangladesh. GA was determined by pregnancy ultrasound (<20 weeks). Community health workers conducted home visits (<72 hours) to assess physical/neuromuscular signs and measure anthropometrics. The distribution, agreement, and diagnostic accuracy of different clinical methods of GA assessment were determined compared with early ultrasound dating.

Results

In the live-born cohort (n = 1066), the mean ultrasound GA was 39.1 weeks (SD 2.0) and prevalence of preterm birth (<37 weeks) wa

SUBMITTER: Lee AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4925072 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature