ArticleThe Indian journal of medical research2017
Action-oriented colour-coded foot length calliper for primary healthcare workers as a proxy for birth weight & gestational period.
Article in The Indian journal of medical research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Assessing the diagnostic accuracy of postnatal clinical scoring methods and foot length measurement for estimating gestational age and birthweight of newborns in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ paediatrics open · 2024Pooled it
- Diagnostic accuracy of neonatal foot length to identify preterm and low birthweight infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ global health · 2020Pooled it
- Community-based cluster randomized controlled trial: empowering households to identify and provide appropriate care for low-birthweight newborns in Nepal.BMC public health · 2020Trial
- Accuracy and utility of newborn foot length screening tools to identify small babies by mothers in Sidama Region, Ethiopia.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
- The use of newborn foot length to identify low birth weight and preterm babies in Papua New Guinea: A diagnostic accuracy study.PLOS global public health · 2023Article
- Article
- Measuring newborn foot length to estimate gestational age in a high risk Northwest Ethiopian population.PloS one · 2020Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND &
objectivesFoot length of the newborn has a good correlation with the birth weight and is recommended to be used as a proxy measure. There can be variations in the measurement of foot length. A study was, therefore, carried out to develop a foot length calliper for accurate foot length measurement and to find cut-off values for birth weight and gestational age groups to be used by primary healthcare workers.
methodsThis study was undertaken on 645 apparently healthy newborn infants with known gestational age. Nude birth weight was taken within 24 h of birth on a standard electronic weighing machine. A foot length calliper was developed. Correlation between foot length and birth weight as well as gestational age was calculated. Correctness of cut-off values was tested using another set of 133 observations on the apparently healthy newborns. Action-oriented colour coding was done to make it easy for primary healthcare workers to use it.
resultsThere was a significant correlation of foot length with birth weight (r=0.75) and gestational age (r=0.63). Cut-off values for birth weight groups were 6.1, 6.8 and 7.3 cm and for gestational age of 6.1, 6.8 and 7.0 cm. Correctness of these cut-off values ranged between 77.1 and 95.7 per cent for birth weight and 60-93.3 per cent for gestational age. Considering 2.5 kg as cut-off between normal birth weight and low birth weight (LBW), cut-off values of 6.1, 6.8 and 7.3 were chosen. Action-oriented colour coding was done by superimposing the colours on the scale of the calliper, green indicating home care, yellow indicating supervised home care, orange indicating care at newborn care units at primary health centres and red indicating Neonatal Intensive Care Unit care for infants. INTERPRETATION &
conclusionsA simple device was developed so that the primary health care workers and trained Accredited Social Health Activist workers can identify the risk of LBW in the absence of accurate weighing facilities and decide on the type of care needed by the newborn and take action accordingly.
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