An attempt to estimate gestational age of newborns using physical characteristics

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the validity of using some physical characteristics to estimate gestational age of the Yemini newborn babies and to compare the results with the findings of other similar studies.

METHODS: By using the definitions of 12 physical characteristics and the simple and multiple regression methods, the gestational ages of 184 Yemeni newborns were estimated.

RESULTS: The study has proved that, with reasonable estimation precision, only 5 physical characteristics namely skin texture, skin opacity, plantar creases, ear firmness and skull hardness can be used to estimate the gestational age of the Yemeni newborn babies. Further, estimation precision will be very slightly affected by dropping out both skin opacity and skull hardness from the estimation process.

CONCLUSION: As this study is the first of its kind in Yemen, it is important to take its findings into consideration and to use these findings as a base line for relative future research.