Regional references vs. international standards for assessing weight and length by gestational age in Lithuanian neonates.

Introduction: There is no global consensus as to which standards are the most appropriate for the assessment of birth weight and length. The study aimed to compare the applicability of regional and global standards to the Lithuanian newborn population by sex and gestational age, based on the prevalence of small or large for gestational age (SGA/LGA).

Materials And Methods: Analysis was performed on neonatal length and weight data obtained from the Lithuanian Medical Birth Register from 1995 to 2015 (618,235 newborns of 24-42 gestational weeks).

Neonatal head circumference by gestation reflects adaptation to maternal body size: comparison of different standards.

Neonatal head circumference (HC) not only represents the brain size of Homo sapiens, but is also an important health risk indicator. Addressing a lack of comparative studies on head size and its variability in term and preterm neonates from different populations, we aimed to examine neonatal HC by gestation according to a regional reference and a global standard. Retrospective analysis of data on neonatal HC obtained from the Lithuanian Medical Birth Register from 2001 to 2015 (423 999 newborns of 24-42 gestational weeks).

Perinatal injury of the central nervous system in Lithuania from 1997 to 2014.

Background: Perinatal CNS injuries are significant for the health of neonates and for child development at a later period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamics of the frequency of perinatal CNS lesions (corresponding to ICD 10 code P91) over a 20-year period, using the data collected from the Lithuanian Medical Data of Births (Registry of Births).

Material And Methods: In total, data of 559,164 newborns were analyzed.

Trends in maternal health in Lithuania 1995-2014.

Background: The Lithuanian Perinatology Program, orders issued by the Ministry of Health, regulating the care and treatment of mothers and their infants, and the well-running perinatal care system helped to improve the diagnostics and treatment of pregnancy pathology. Over the last 20 years, Lithuania has experienced significant improvements in the maternal and perinatal health.

Materials And Methods: Data was collected from the official statistics database, Medical Data of Births, provided by the Institute of Hygiene Health Information Centre, Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, and the Vilnius University Centre of Neonatology in 1995-2014.

Maternal socio-economic factors and the risk of low birth weight in Lithuania.

Aim: To evaluate the importance of maternal socio-economic factors on the risk of low birth weight in Lithuania.

Material And Methods: The case-control study involved 851 newborns with low birth weight (<2500 g) (cases) and 851 newborns with normal weight (controls). Study was accomplished from 1st February, 2001 until 31st October, 2002 in six main maternity hospitals in Lithuania.