NCM 107 Care of Mother, Child and Adolescent (Well Clients) pt. 1

Vital Statistics

Measurements of newborns including weight, length, head circumference, and chest circumference.

Weight measurement in newborns

Reflects various factors including racial, nutritional, intrauterine, and genetic influences.

Gestational age

The age of the fetus or newborn calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period.

Small for gestational age (SGA)

Newborns who have suffered intrauterine growth restriction.

Macrosomic

Term for a newborn weighing more than 4.7 kg (10 lb), often suggesting maternal illness.

Average birth weight (female)

The average at 3.4 kg (7.5 lb) for a white, mature female newborn in the US.

Average birth weight (male)

The average at 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) for a white, mature male newborn in the US.

Fluid loss after birth

Newborns lose 5% to 10% of their birth weight in the first few days due to diuresis and stooling.

Colostrum

The first form of milk produced immediately following delivery, lower in calories.

Notable weight gain post-birth

Breastfed babies recapture birth weight in about 10 days; formula-fed babies in 7 days.

Average birth length (female)

The average birth length is 53 cm (20.9 in) for mature female neonates.

Average birth length (male)

The average birth length is 54 cm (21.3 in) for mature male neonates.

Head circumference measurement

Usually 34 to 35 cm (13.5 to 14 in) in mature newborns.

Assessment of abnormal head growth

Head circumference less than 33 cm (13.2 in) or more than 37 cm (14.8 in) should be evaluated for neurological issues.

Chest circumference in newborns

Approximately 2 cm (0.75 to 1 in) less than the head circumference in a term newborn.

Weight measurement safety issues

Health care providers should not leave a newborn unattended on a bed or scale.

Percentile plotting

Weight, height, and head circumference should all fall near the same percentile in a child.

Newborn weight loss causes

Loss is due to fluid loss, voiding, and limited intake of breast milk or formula.

Neonatal graph utility

Used to identify at-risk newborns based on their weight relative to gestational age.

Normal length lower limit

Arbitrarily set at 46 cm (18 in) for newborn lengths.

Neurologic assessment

Newborns with head circumferences outside 33 cm - 37 cm should be carefully assessed.