Publication:

Detection and comparison of fetal malnutrition by CANSCORE and other methods

Background Objective of current study was clinical assessment of nutritional status of neonate using CANSCORE and comparison with other methods of determining fetal malnutrition.

Design Cross sectional study.

Setting Tertiary care hospital. Study subjects: 384 live born singleton neonates with known gestational age and no major congenital malformation.

Methods Birth weight, length, midarm circumference and head circumference recorded in new-borns. Ponderal index and mid arm to head circumference ratio was calculated. Clinical assessment of nutritional status was done on the basis of CANSCORE and compared with other methods.

Results CANSCORE <25 separated 67.71% of the babies as well-nourished and 32.29% as malnourished. Weight for age and MAC/HC classified nearly 70% of babies as well-nourished and 30% as malnourished. Also Ponderal index classified 75.52% the babies as well-nourished and 24.48% as malnourished.

Conclusion CANSCORE may be a simple clinical index for identifying fetal malnutrition and for prediction of neonatal morbidity associated with it, without the aid of any sophisticated equipments.