Abstract
Background
Anthropometric parameters such as birth weight (BW) and adult body height vary between ethnic groups. Ethnic-specific percentile charts are currently being used for the assessment of newborns. However, due to globalization and interethnic families, it is unclear which charts should be used. A correlation between a mother’s height and her child’s BW (1 cm accounts for a 17 g increase in BW) has been observed. The study aims to test differences in small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA) rates, employing BW percentile charts based on maternal height between ethnic groups.
Methods
This retrospective study of 2.3 million mother/newborn pairs analyzed BW, gestational age, sex, maternal height and ethnicity from the German perinatal survey (1995–2000). These data were stratified for maternal height (≤157, 158–163, 164–169, 170–175, ≥176 cm) and region of origin (Germany, Central and Northern Europe, North America, Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe, Middle East and North Africa, and Asia excluding Middle East). Percentile charts were calculated for each maternal height group.
Results
The average BW and maternal height differ significantly between ethnic groups. On current percentile charts, newborns of taller mothers (≥176 cm) have a low rate of SGA and a high rate of LGA, whereas newborns of shorter mothers (≤157 cm) have a high rate of SGA and a low rate of LGA. When the BW data are stratified based on the maternal height, mothers of similar height from different ethnic groups show similar average BWs, SGA and LGA rates.
Conclusion
Maternal body height has a greater influence on BW than maternal ethnicity. The use of BW percentile charts for maternal height should be considered.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Christel Fernow for the preparation of figures and tables.
Author contributions: Dr. Niels Rochow conceptualized and designed the study and wrote the initial manuscript. Dr. Malak AlSamnan drafted parts of the manuscript and contributed to the study design. Dr. Hon Yiu So carried out the statistical analysis. Dr. Dirk Olbertz assisted with the data analysis and was involved in the interpretation of the data. Anna Pelc drafted parts of the manuscript and contributed to the study design. Dr. Jan Däbritz drafted parts of the manuscript. Dr. Roland Hentschel was involved in the interpretation of the data. Dr. Ursula Wittwer-Backofen drafted parts of the manuscript and contributed to the data analysis. Dr. Manfred Voigt collected the data and carried out the statistical analysis. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work. All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Employment or leadership: None declared.
Honorarium: None declared.
Competing interests: The funding organization(s) played no role in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the report for publication.
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Supplementary Material
The online version of this article offers supplementary material (https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2017-0349).
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