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Length and weight of newborns in Croatia from 1985 to 2009

Gewicht und Länge von Neugeborenen in Kroatien zwischen 1985 und 2009

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Summary

Background

Constitutional characteristics of humans are changing. People are becoming taller and they weigh more. These changes influence birth weight and birth length as well.

Methods

A study was conducted on 2414 mothers and their newborns from 1985 to 2009 in Zagreb, Croatia, to establish a secular change in the weight and length of infants and the factors that are most related to these changes.

Results

Birth weight has increased significantly in the past 25 years, and it is higher in male newborns. Taller mothers, with higher weight and body mass index, deliver newborns with higher birth weight. Weight gain in pregnancy has positive impact on birth weight. Multiparas and older and more educated women deliver newborns with higher weight. Birth weight does not depend on father’s education. The number of newborns with birth weight more than 4000 g is increasing, but not significantly. Birth length was not significantly higher. Birth length is higher in male newborns, in newborns with higher birth weight and newborns of older and more educated mothers.

Conclusion

Better life conditions and better health care improves population constitutional characteristics that have implications in higher birth weight and birth length. This could be an important change that influences delivery modalities.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund

Eine Veränderung der physischen Konstitution des Menschen lässt sich weltweit beobachten. Die Menschen haben eine höhere Körpergröße und wiegen mehr. Diese Entwicklung beeinflusst das Geburtsgewicht sowie die Körperlänge bei der Geburt.

Methoden

Zwischen 1985 und 2009 wurden in Zagreb, Kroatien, 2414 Mütter und ihre Neugeborenen erfasst, um eine signifikante Abweichung in Gewicht und Länge der Neugeborenen sowie der dazu führenden Faktoren aufzuzeigen.

Ergebnisse

Das Geburtsgewicht hat in den letzten 25 Jahren signifikant zugenommen und war bei den Jungen im Durchschnitt höher als bei den Mädchen. Mütter mit höherer Körpergröße, mehr Körpergewicht und höherem BMI gebären Kinder mit höherem Geburtsgewicht. Eine Zunahme während der Schwangerschaft wirkt sich positiv auf das Geburtsgewicht aus. Multiparas, ältere und besser ausgebildete Frauen gebären ebenfalls Kinder mit höherem Geburtsgewicht. Das Geburtsgewicht wird nicht vom Bildungsgrad des Vaters beeinflusst. Ein Geburtsgewicht über 4000 g ist zwar bemerkbar, jedoch nicht signifikant. Die Länge der Neugeborenen hat nicht signifikant zugenommen. Eine höhere Geburtslänge lies sich bei männlichen Kindern, Neugeborenen mit höherem Körpergewicht und älteren Müttern beobachten.

Schlussfolgerung

Bessere Lebensumstände und Gesundheitsfürsorge erhöhen die konstitutionellen Charakteristiken der Bevölkerung, was sich auf das Geburtsgewicht sowie die Körperlänge bei der Geburt auswirkt. Dieser Wandel könnte wiederum einen Einfluss auf die Modalitäten der Geburt haben.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnice”, Vinogradska 29, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Hrvojka Soljacic Vranes PhD & Ivka Djakovic MD

Authors
  1. Hrvojka Soljacic Vranes PhD
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  2. Ivka Djakovic MD
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Correspondence to Ivka Djakovic MD.

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Vranes, H., Djakovic, I. Length and weight of newborns in Croatia from 1985 to 2009. Wien Klin Wochenschr 127, 685–690 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0686-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-014-0686-2

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