Secular trend in the rate of small-for-gestational-age infants: Haguenau Study 1971-1985.
Between 1971 and 1985, at the Haguenau Maternity Hospital, a 20% decrease was observed in the rate of small-for-gestational-age infants (birthweight less than 10th centile using figures from all the study births) among 20,101 births between 28 and 42 weeks. This decrease could not be explained by simultaneous changes in socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics of the pregnant women, nor a recruitment bias. The earliness of prenatal care at the Maternity Hospital may have played a role in the downward trend. Further research is needed to confirm the influence of prenatal care on the rate of small-for-gestational-age babies.
Meyer
L
L
INSERM U 170, Recherches Epidémiologiques et Statistiques sur l'Environnement et la Santé, Villejuif, France.
Bouyer
J
J
Papiernik
E
E
Le Lann
D
D
Moukengue
L
L
Dreyfus
J
J
D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008423:Maternal Age; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000639:trends; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors