Parental determinants of offspring head circumference using a sample of patients attending a government hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
Head circumference at birth is an important neonatal parameter in view of its association with perinatal and postnatal morbidity and mortality. It is an indicator of brain volume and a tool for assessing the development of the central nervous system. Being a complex hereditary trait, predicting baby's head circumference from parental anthropometrics could complement the already existing ultrasonographic method of prediction.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the parental anthropometric determinants of baby's head circumference in Lagos, Nigeria, using a sample of patients attending a government hospital.


METHODS
Parental anthropometric parameters were obtained from 250 couples. The baby's head circumference was measured immediately after birth. The data were subjected to multivariate analysis.


RESULTS
The parental variables that were most predictive of babies' head circumference were mid-parental weight, maternal height, maternal weight gain during pregnancy and maternal age.


CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of these parental attributes can complement ultrasonographic data in predicting baby's head circumference for better perinatal outcome.
Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
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Taiwo
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Adeleye
D000886:Anthropometry; D005260:Female; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires