children s health issues
Large for Gestational Age (LGA) Newborns
Diagnosis of LGA Newborns
Before birth, measurement of the uterus and ultrasonography After birth, assessment of gestational age and size and weight of the baby During pregnancy,doctors measure the distance on a woman's abdomen from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus (fundus). This measurement, called a fundal height measurement, corresponds roughly with the number of weeks of pregnancy. If the measurement is high for the number of weeks, the fetus may be larger than expected. Ultrasonography can be used to assess the size of the fetus and estimate fetal weight to confirm the large-for-gestational-age (LGA) diagnosis. After birth,LGA is diagnosed by assessing the gestational age and the weight of the newborn. LGA newborns are assessed for any complications. Blood sugar is measured to detect hypoglycemia, and doctors do a thorough examination to look for birth injuries and structural or genetic abnormalities. 