Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Head circumference from birth to age 48 months for infants in Sweden
1Division of Social Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. bo.werner@orebroll.se
Insights
This study documents infant head circumference development in Sweden from birth to 48 months. Findings provide a nationally representative reference for pediatric growth monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Human Growth and Development
- Biostatistics
Background:
- Accurate head circumference (HC) measurements are crucial for monitoring infant development and detecting potential neurological abnormalities.
- Existing reference data may not fully represent current pediatric populations, necessitating updated longitudinal studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a comprehensive, longitudinal reference dataset for head circumference (HC) from birth to 48 months in a Swedish infant cohort.
- To provide updated growth charts for clinical use and research in pediatric neurodevelopment.
Main Methods:
- A national cohort of 3158 infants born in 1981 in Sweden was prospectively studied until 48 months of age.
- Data were collected from child healthcare records, with piecewise linear regression used for analysis.
- Analyses were conducted on the complete sample and with exclusions for low birth weight and non-Swedish born infants.
Main Results:
- Data from 3107 infants (98.4% participation) provided a highly representative sample, minimizing non-response bias.
- Longitudinal summary statistics for head circumference (HC) were generated for each age point.
- Comparisons were made with international references and previous/current Swedish growth curves.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the first longitudinal, nationally representative, and selection-bias-free documentation of infant head circumference (HC) means and distribution in Sweden.
- The findings offer a valuable, updated reference standard for assessing infant head growth in clinical practice and research.
- The established reference curves contribute to improved early identification of developmental deviations in infants.
Aim:
To describe the development of head circumference, from birth to age 48 mo, of infants in Sweden.
Methods:
Every infant born on the 15th of any month in the 1981 birth cohort, living in Sweden as of 31 December 1989, was studied from birth to age 48 mo (n=3158). By collecting data from child healthcare records and then analysing these data using piecewise linear regression, means and other statistics were produced for every age. Data were analysed for all and with exclusions for low birthweight and those born outside Sweden.
Results:
From the sample of 3158, data for 3107 infants were collected, making the percentage of missing individuals 1.6%; thus, non-response bias is minimized and high national representativeness is achieved. Summary statistics for head circumference are presented. Comparisons are made to international reference materials, and to previous and current Swedish reference curves.
Conclusion:
For the first time in Sweden, and without selection bias, means and distribution of head circumference measurements are documented longitudinally for a nationally representative sample of infants.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Uniform Distribution
01:14Temperature Measurement Sites
Oral: When assessing oral temperature, the thermometer tip should be placed under the tongue in the posterior sublingual pocket. It offers accurate readings and can be...