Clinical study of heavy-for-dates neonates.
Incidence and morbidity rates of heavy-for-dates (HFD) term neonates were examined to elucidate whether HFD neonates are at high risk. At the same time the criteria for HFD, defined by the fetal growth curve published in 1983 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, were evaluated. A sample of 15,377 term neonates who were born between 1984 and 1990 were obtained. Still-births and neonates from non-Japanese mothers were excluded. The overall incidence of HFD neonates was 5.13%. The morbidity rate excluding idiopathic hyperbilirubinemia was 10.0%, which increased with gestational age and was accompanied by an increment of birth trauma. The main diagnosis of hospitalization of HFD neonates was birth trauma followed by respiratory disorders. The incidences of hypoglycemia and polycythemia, regarded as major problems of HFD neonates, were low. The main causes of hospitalization of HFD neonates are associated with difficulty at delivery due to their heavy weight. There were no significant differences in the morbidity rate of neonates defined by the deviation of birth-weight from the mean +1.3 s.d. to +2.5 s.d. On the other hand, neonates of birth weight over 3750 g had significantly high morbidity rates. Criteria defined by the absolute birth-weight of over 3750 g are more appropriate to screen risk neonates with heavy weight rather than the criteria for HFD as being above mean birth-weight +1.5 s.d.
Watanabe
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Maternal and Perinatal Center, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
D001720:Birth Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001724:Birth Weight; D005260:Female; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors