Parental determinants of offspring head circumference using a sample of patients attending a government hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

Background: Head circumference at birth is an important neonatal parameter in view of its association with perinatal and postnatal morbidity and mortality. It is an indicator of brain volume and a tool for assessing the development of the central nervous system. Being a complex hereditary trait, predicting baby's head circumference from parental anthropometrics could complement the already existing ultrasonographic method of prediction.

Objective: To identify the parental anthropometric determinants of baby's head circumference in Lagos, Nigeria, using a sample of patients attending a government hospital.

Methods: Parental anthropometric parameters were obtained from 250 couples. The baby's head circumference was measured immediately after birth. The data were subjected to multivariate analysis.

Results: The parental variables that were most predictive of babies' head circumference were mid-parental weight, maternal height, maternal weight gain during pregnancy and maternal age.

Conclusion: Assessment of these parental attributes can complement ultrasonographic data in predicting baby's head circumference for better perinatal outcome.