Evaluation of Seasonal Variation of Anthropometric Parameters in Newborns Shariati Hospital in 2004-5

Objective: birth body size is an indicator of intrauterine growth and important in later health. this study was performed to assess seasonal variation of birth body size in a group of Iranian newborn. Patients and method: in a retrospective design, Hospital records of 2034 of singleton newborn with gestational age >37 week and no malformation or neonatal disorder, was assessed sex delivery type birth month, birth weight, birth height, head and chest circumferences was extracted. Result: 1038 cases (51%)of neonates were male and 692 cases (34%) born in natural vaginal delivery. no significant difference was found in seasonal mean of birth weight (p=0.285) although most mean off birth weight was in Winter and least in summer. but peak of birth height was in fall and the least in summer (mean difference: 0.40; 95% CI:0.06-0.74; p=0.013). the difference between mean of birth head circumference was significant(p=0.027) and the most mean was in Winter and least in summer (mean difference : 0.24;95% CI:0.02-0.46; p=0.030). the difference between mean of birth chest circumference was significant and the most and least mean was in fall and spring; respectively (mean difference: 0.42;95% CI:0.12-0.71; p=0.002). conclusion: birth body size is the least in newborn of  hot half of the year and most in cold holf of the year.