Hand measurement data from human babies at birth, from 26 to 41 weeks estimated gestational age

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Pediatric Anatomy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate anthropometric data is crucial for assessing infant development and health.
• Understanding variations in neonatal hand size can inform clinical assessments and interventions.
• Limited data exists on detailed hand measurements in preterm and term infants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present comprehensive measurement data of human infant hands at birth.
• To compare hand anthropometry between preterm and term infants.
• To establish a dataset for neonatal hand morphology.

Main Methods:

• Measurements were taken on 25 preterm infants (26-36 weeks Estimated Gestational Age) and 36 term infants (37-41 weeks EGA).
• Data collection occurred in the Neonatal Unit of CHRU Jeanne de Flandre, Lille, France.
• Seven distinct measurements were performed on the hand, palm, and digits using a medical caliper.

Main Results:

• Detailed anthropometric data for neonatal hands were collected.
• Comparisons between preterm and term infant hand measurements were established.
• The study provides a quantitative overview of hand dimensions at birth.

Conclusions:

• The collected data offers a foundational dataset for neonatal hand anthropometry.
• Findings can aid in the clinical evaluation of growth and development in newborns.
• This research contributes to the understanding of infant hand morphology across gestational ages.