ABSTRACT

In our research, in order to determine the gestational age, we compared the efficiency Dubowitz, New Ballard and Eregie with the last menstruation period (LMP) and ultrasonography (USG) to determine the effeciency of Eregie technique.

500 babies who were admitted to Istanbul Okmeydani Eduation and Research Hospital Pediatrics Department were enrolled in this research. 246 of babies were girls and 254 of the babies were boys. The evaluation of the babies were made between the 1 hour to 96 hours after the birth. Gestational weeks determined according to last menstruation date and late phase USG, were compared with Dubowitz, New Ballard and Eregie methods. Early phase USG was used primarily in the determination of gestational week. Evaluations were done according to LMP in patients who did not have early USG results; and according to femur length measured in late phase USG in patients who did not know their LMP. Evaluations were done with 21 criteria of Dubowitz, 12 criteria of New Ballard and 2 criteria of Eregie method. In order to measure the time, chronometer was used. For this study, statistical analysis was done with Student’s t test, Ki-square test, Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used and p values <0.05 were considered significant.

In our study, in which the gestational age was determined according to USG and LMP results; significant correlation was found between Dubowitz, New Ballard and Eregie methods (p<0.01). When all the results were evaluated, New Ballard method had the highest corelation rate and Dubowitz, Eregie, as follows. Among the mothers whose early phase USG was available, Dubowitz method had the highest corelation rate and New Ballard and Eregie method as follows. When subjects were evaluated according to time, the average time, for Eregie score was 0.78 minute (mn), New Ballard score was 3.03 mn and Dubowitz score was 4.72 mn.

Eregie method can be used in developing countries, in departments with limited number of health personnel and heavy workload, since it is an easy, quick, simple to use and reliable method.