title: Neonatal and maternal cranial form.
abstract: The mean cephalic index (CI) in the normally grown full-term neonate is in the lower eighties. Because intra-uterine growth retardation causes a greater proportionate reduction in the biparietal than in the occipitofrontal diameter, the resultant CI is significantly lower (P less than 0,01) than in neonates who have grown normally. There is no significant correlation between maternal and neonatal cranial form as judged by the CI. In man, hereditary factors operate in the long period of postnatal growth and differentiation.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002508:Cephalometry; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D012016:Reference Values