A simple method of screening for intrauterine growth retardation at birth.

Midarm to head circumference ratio was evaluated in 233 term infants for identification of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) at birth. A ratio of 0.233±0.014 could identify all babies with severe IUGR, while all but two babies with mild I UGR had this ratio less than 0.280. The observation suggest that this method can be utilised for easy diagnosis of IUGR even by paramedical workers at community level, and is independent of ethnic groups or intrauterine growth curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]