Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity, as well as with other adverse conditions later in life. Since the birth weight-specific mortality of a second child depends on the...

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Main Authors: Olsen Jørn, Vestergaard Mogens, Sun Yuelian, Pedersen Carsten B, Basso Olga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2007-11-01
Series:BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/7/28
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spelling doaj-203f7789ce274421a9dc9496311e3fa52020-11-24T22:02:58ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932007-11-01712810.1186/1471-2393-7-28Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortalityOlsen JørnVestergaard MogensSun YuelianPedersen Carsten BBasso Olga<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity, as well as with other adverse conditions later in life. Since the birth weight-specific mortality of a second child depends on the birth weight of an older sibling, a failure to achieve the biologically intended size appears to increase the risk of adverse outcome even in babies who are not classified as small for gestation. In this study, we aimed at quantifying the risk of neonatal death as a function of a baby's failure to fulfil its biologic growth potential across the whole distribution of birth weight.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We predicted the birth weight of 411,957 second babies born in Denmark (1979–2002), given the birth weight of the first, and examined how the ratio of achieved birth weight to predicted birth weight performed in predicting neonatal mortality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For any achieved birth weight category, the risk of neonatal death increased with decreasing birth weight ratio. However, the risk of neonatal death increased with decreasing birth weight, even among babies who achieved their predicted birth weight.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While a low achieved birth weight was a stronger predictor of mortality, a failure to achieve the predicted birth weight was associated with increased mortality at virtually all birth weights. Use of family data may allow identification of children at risk of adverse health outcomes, especially among babies with apparently "normal" growth.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/7/28
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Olsen Jørn
Vestergaard Mogens
Sun Yuelian
Pedersen Carsten B
Basso Olga
spellingShingle Olsen Jørn
Vestergaard Mogens
Sun Yuelian
Pedersen Carsten B
Basso Olga
Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
author_facet Olsen Jørn
Vestergaard Mogens
Sun Yuelian
Pedersen Carsten B
Basso Olga
author_sort Olsen Jørn
title Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
title_short Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
title_full Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
title_fullStr Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
title_full_unstemmed Assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. An example with neonatal mortality
title_sort assessing fetal growth impairments based on family data as a tool for identifying high-risk babies. an example with neonatal mortality
publisher BMC
series BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
issn 1471-2393
publishDate 2007-11-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low birth weight is associated with an increased risk of neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity, as well as with other adverse conditions later in life. Since the birth weight-specific mortality of a second child depends on the birth weight of an older sibling, a failure to achieve the biologically intended size appears to increase the risk of adverse outcome even in babies who are not classified as small for gestation. In this study, we aimed at quantifying the risk of neonatal death as a function of a baby's failure to fulfil its biologic growth potential across the whole distribution of birth weight.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We predicted the birth weight of 411,957 second babies born in Denmark (1979–2002), given the birth weight of the first, and examined how the ratio of achieved birth weight to predicted birth weight performed in predicting neonatal mortality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For any achieved birth weight category, the risk of neonatal death increased with decreasing birth weight ratio. However, the risk of neonatal death increased with decreasing birth weight, even among babies who achieved their predicted birth weight.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>While a low achieved birth weight was a stronger predictor of mortality, a failure to achieve the predicted birth weight was associated with increased mortality at virtually all birth weights. Use of family data may allow identification of children at risk of adverse health outcomes, especially among babies with apparently "normal" growth.</p>
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/7/28
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