Birth Size of Neonates and Its Association with Seasonality

Albena Dimitrova; Yanitsa Zhecheva; Zoya Mateeva; Rayna Georgieva; Racho Stoev; Boyan  Kirilov; Aleksandra Ravnachka; Ivaila  Yankova Ivanova–Pandourska

doi:10.18778/1898-6773.86.2.06

Authors

Albena Dimitrova Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6941-7133
Yanitsa Zhecheva Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6028-7440
Zoya Mateeva Department of Climate, Climate, Atmosphere and Water Research Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6170-4392
Rayna Georgieva Department of Parallel Algorithms, Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2670-3156
Racho Stoev Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1822-5833
Boyan Kirilov Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6954-7296
Aleksandra Ravnachka Department of Geography, National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3502-7815
Ivaila Yankova Ivanova–Pandourska Department of Anthropology and Anatomy, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia, Bulgaria https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6637-705X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1898-6773.86.2.06

Keywords:

birth weight, birth length, seasonality

Abstract

The aim of the study is to evaluate the relationship between the season of birth and the birth weight and length of Bulgarian newborns.

The weight and length data of 6517 (6098 full-term and 419 preterm) live births in 2000–2001 were collected from the birth registry of II Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynaecology “Sheynovo”, Sofia, Bulgaria. Statistical analyses were done using the SPSS 16 software for Windows: descriptive statistics; the t-test (p<0.05); One-Way ANOVA, (Tukey, HSD-test, p<0.05) and the Pearson’s correlation. The sunshine dura-tion data for 2000 and 2001 were collected at the Sofia Meteorological Station.

The mean weight of Bulgarian neonates born in 2000-2001 was 3389.8 g in boys and 3261.8 g in girls. The average newborn’s length was 51.0 cm and 50.3 cm in boys and girls, respectively. In all seasons, significant gender differences were observed with a priority for boys (p≤0.001). The winter period was identified with a peak in birth length for both sexes, and spring and summer were the seasons with the lowest values for boys and girls, respectively. A significant positive correlation between birth length and the daily amount of sunshine during the prenatal period was found (p<0.001).

Seasonal fluctuations influenced weight and length in Bulgarian neonates. The results obtained in this study can be useful in prenatal diagnostics, neonatal care, and health prevention of pregnant women and neonates.

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