A COMPARISON OF METHODS FOR ESTIMATING THE WEIGHT OF PRETERM INFANTS

Four methods of predicting a preterm infant's weight (upper mid-arm ci rcumference, gestational age, tape measure nomogram, and guessing) wer e investigated to see which was the most accurate. The weights of 37 p reterm neonates were initially guessed by an experienced clinician, th en estimated by the other three approaches applied in a random order, and then confirmed through actual weighing. The correlations between t he four estimated weights and the actual weights were .96,.84,.97, and .98, respectively. The tape measure nomogram method was the best over all approach for clinical use.