Premium
An evaluation of three methods used to assess the gestational age of Aboriginal neonates
Author(s) -
SAYERS S. M.,
POWERS J. R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1992.tb02675.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestational age , obstetrics , ultrasound , retrospective cohort study , pediatrics , pregnancy , surgery , genetics , biology , radiology
Many Aboriginal women do not recall their last menstrual period date, so alternative methods of estimating gestational age are necessary for optimal obstetric and neonatal care. In this retrospective review of 605 Aboriginal infants born at the Royal Darwin Hospital, the gestational age was estimated by the Dubowitz method and compared with available gestational age estimates from first fundal height and first ultrasound measurement. There was good agreement between the Dubowitz and ultrasound estimates of gestational age with best agreement occurring when ultrasound was done in the first trimester and worst agreement in the third trimester. Agreement between fundal height and Dubowitz estimates was poor but the measurement of fundal height was not standardized. When accurate last menstrual period information is absent, these findings suggest that good estimates of gestational age in Aboriginal neonates can be determined from the Dubowitz assessment at birth and from ultrasound measurements taken in the first trimester.