New South Wales population-based birthweight percentile charts.
OBJECTIVE
To derive newborn percentile charts using NSW population and hospital-based data.


METHODS
Birthweight data for liveborn singleton infants were obtained from the New South Wales Midwives Data Collection (MDC) from 1990 to 1994 inclusive (n = 422139). Data were also collected from King George V Hospital (KGV) for liveborn singleton infants less than 35 weeks of gestation for 1982-89 inclusive, and for all gestations for 1990-95 inclusive (n = 30610). Birthweight percentiles were derived using the MDC data separately for males and females. Head circumference (n = 29090) and birth length percentiles (n = 26973) were derived from the KGV data.


RESULTS
The charts derived from MDC data had generally higher percentiles than previously published charts. These represent the largest Australian population-based study published to date.


CONCLUSIONS
Periodic review of newborn growth charts is recommended because of changing ethnic and socio-economic factors.
Beeby
P J
PJ
Department of Perinatal Medicine, King George V Hospital, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
Bhutap
T
T
Taylor
L K
LK
D001724:Birth Weight; D001827:Body Height; D002508:Cephalometry; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D011247:Pregnancy; D012042:Registries; D012737:Sex Factors