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February 9, 2012 |
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birth weight Birth weight is the mass|weight of a infant|baby at its childbirth|birth. It has direct links with the gestational age at which the child was born and can be estimated during the pregnancy by measuring fundal height. A baby born within the normal range of weight for that gestational age is known as appropriate for gestational age (AGA). Those born above or below that range have often had an unusual rate of development – this often indicates complications with the pregnancy that may affect the baby or its mother. The incidence of birth weight being outside of the AGA is influenced by the parents in numerous ways, including:
There have been numerous studies that have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to show links between birth weight and later-life conditions, including diabetes, obesity, tobacco smoking and intelligence (trait)|intelligence. Large for gestational age (LGA) babies are those whose birth weight lies above the 90th percentile for that gestational age. Macrosomia, also known as big baby syndrome, is sometimes used synonymously with LGA, or is otherwise defined as a fetus that weighs above 4000 grams (8 pound (mass)|lb 13 ounce|oz) or 4500 grams (9 lb 15 oz) regardless of gestational age. Diagnosis LGA is generally not diagnosed until after the birth as the size and weight of the child is rarely checked during the latter stages of pregnancy. Babies that are large for gestational age throughout the pregnancy can sometimes be seen during a routine obstetric ultrasonography|ultrasound. There are believed to be links with polyhydramnios (excessive amniotic sac fluid). Predetermining factors One of the primary risk factors is poorly controlled diabetes, particularly gestational diabetes, as well as preexistant diabetes mellitus. This increases maternal plasma glucose levels as well as insulin, stimulating fetal growth. Other indicating factors include:
The condition is most common in mothers of Hispanic origin, partly due to the higher incidence of diabetes. Treatment Depending upon the relative size of the head of the baby and the pelvic diameter of the mother vaginal birth may become complicated. One of the most common complications is dystocia|shoulder dystocia. Such pregnancies often end in caesarean sections in order to safely deliver the baby and to avoid birth canal lacerations. Small for gestational age (SGA) babies are those whose birth weight lies below the 10th percentile for that gestational age. They have usually been the subject of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Low birth weight, is sometimes used synonymously with SGA, or is otherwise defined as a fetus that weighs less than 2500 g (5 lb 8 oz) regardless of gestational age. There is a 4–8% incidence of low birth weight in developed countries, and 6–30% in developing countries. Much of this can be attributed to the health of the mother during pregnancy. One third of babies born with a low birth weight are also small for gestational age. Diagnosis The condition is generally diagnosed by measuring the mother's uterus, with the fundal height being less than it should be for that stage of the pregnancy. If it is suspected, the mother will usually be sent for an obstetric ultrasonography|ultrasound to confirm. Predetermining factors The primary risk factor is that the placenta cannot cope with the demand placed upon it, leading to levels of malnutrition in the developing fetus. This may itself be caused by many different things:
Categories of growth retardation There are two distinct categories of growth retardation, indicating the stage at which the development was slowed. Small for gestational age babies can be classified as having symmetrical or assymmetrical growth retardation. Symmetrical growth retardation, less commonly known as global growth retardation, indicates that the fetus has developed slowly throughout the duration of the pregnancy and was thus affected from a very early stage. The head circumference of such a newborn is in proportion to the rest of the body. Common causes include:
Asymmetrical growth retardation occurs when the embryo/fetus has grown normally for the first two trimesters but encounters difficulties in the third, usually pre-eclampsia. Such babies have a disparity in their length and head circumference when compared to the birth weight. A lack of subcutis|subcutaneous fat leads to a thin and small body out of proportion with the head. Other symptoms include dry, peeling skin and an overly-thin umbilical cord, and the baby is at increased risk of hypoxia and hypoglycemia|hypoglycaemia. Treatment Possible treatments include the early induction (birth)|induction of labour, though this is only done if the condition has been diagnosed and seen as a risk to the health of the fetus. Studies have been conducted to investigate how a persons birth weight can influence aspects of their future life. This includes theorised links with obesity, diabetes and intelligence (trait)|intelligence. Obesity A baby born small or large for gestational age (either of the two extremities) is thought to have an increased risk of obesity in later life. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8088161/ http://www.nutritionnewsfocus.com/archive/a3/96.html http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/77/3/726 http://www.reutershealth.com/wellconnected/doc53.html http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/323/7325/1331 Diabetes Babies that have a low birth weight are thought to have a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4293509.stm http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/Articles/birth020819.htm http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/111/3/e221 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=10068385 Intelligence Some studies have shown a direct link between an increased birth weight and an increased intelligence quotient. http://www.mindfully.org/Health/Birth-Weight-IQ-Study.htm http://www.futureofchildren.org/information2827/information_show.htm?doc_id=256519 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1483134.stm There is some evidence of a link between a child's birth weight and its mother's risk of cardiovascular disease. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/688611.stm
Category:Obstetrics Category:Pediatrics This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Birth weight".
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