title: Utilizing Infant Cry Acoustics to Determine Gestational Age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The date of last menstruation period and ultrasonography are the most commonly used methods to determine gestational age (GA). However, if these data are not clear, some scoring systems performed after birth can be used. New Ballard Score (NBS) is a commonly used method in estimation of GA. Cry sound may reflect the developmental integrity of the infant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the connection between the infants' GA and some acoustic parameters of the infant cry.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective single-blind study was carried out.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, medically stable infants without any congenital craniofacial anomalies were evaluated. During routine blood sampling, cry sounds were recorded and acoustic analysis was performed. Step-by-step multiple linear regression analysis was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data of 116 infants (57 female, 59 male) with the known GA (34.6 ± 3.8 weeks) were evaluated and with Apgar score of higher than 5. The real GA was significantly and well correlated with the estimated GA according to the NBS, F0, Int, Jitt, and latency parameters. The obtained stepwise linear regression analysis model was formulized as GA=(31.169) - (0.020 × F0)+(0.286 × GA according to NBS) - (0.003 × Latency)+(0.108 × Int) - (0.367 × Jitt). The real GA could be determined with a ratio of 91.7% using this model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have determined that after addition of F0, Int, Jitt, and latency to NBS, the power of GA estimation would be increased. This simple formula can be used to determine GA in clinical practice but validity of such prediction formulas needs to be further tested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical School, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey. Electronic address: iskebaha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Medical School, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Tatar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uras
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Zekai Tahir Burak Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suna S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
mesh_terms: D003448:Crying; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013061:Speech Acoustics
keywords: Acoustic analysis; Cry analysis; Gestational age; Infant cry; New Ballard Score