Sex-specific charts for abdominal circumference in term and near-term Caucasian newborns

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Abstract
Abdominal circumference (AC) assessment may be used as an index of abdominal visceral size, fetal fat store, and intrauterine nutrition. The aim of this study is to construct sex-specific references and smoothed percentiles for AC at birth in term and near-term Caucasian infants. AC was measured in 4542 singleton newborns (2323 males, 2219 females), at a gestational age > or =35 weeks. Smoothed percentiles for AC were constructed by sex and gestational age according to the LMS method. Males had higher AC than females but differences were only statistically significant beyond 37 weeks. AC increased from 35 to 41 weeks in both sexes. Sex-specific references constructed for AC in term and near-term Caucasian newborns might be used, as other anthropometric parameters, in the assessment of nutritional status at birth.

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