Identifying low birth weight babies using calf circumference among neonates in a semi-urban area

Abstract

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) still persists as a public health problem in low- and middle-income countries. There is a constant search to find newer methods to detect LBW babies so that early interventions can be taken. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the critical limit and to assess the reliability of calf circumference (CaC) measurement in detecting LBW babies. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital between April 2018 and September 2018. In this study, a total of 185 newborns were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements (Calf Circumference [CaC], birth weight, head circumference, crown-rump length, chest circumference, and thigh circumference) were taken as per standard guidelines. Collected data were analyzed for determining the mean, standard deviation, critical limit, receiver operating characteristic curve, Pearson correlation coefficient, and regression analysis of the anthropometric measurements at birth in relation to birth weight. Results: The mean CaC of LBW babies was 9.16±0.11 cm and in normal weight babies, it was 10.86±0.09 cm. The mean values of CaC were significantly lower in LBW babies (p<0.0001). The mean cutoff value of CaC of LBW babies is found to be 9.90 cm, with a sensitivity of 85.6% and specificity of 82.2%. Conclusions: In our study, measuring CC is found to be a good method
in identifying LBW neonates. Hence, measuring CaC can be used as an alternative method to identify LBW babies in remote areas.