Anthropometric orofacial measures of newborns and their relationship with sex, weight and height

PURPOSE: To compare orofacial anthropometric measurements, with weight, height and sex of newborns. METHODS: Observational cross-sectional study carried out with 130 newborns on exclusive breastfeeding. Data collection was performed by properly trained and calibrated speech therapists. The orofacial measurements of the newborns were performed with flexible and transparent ruler 10 cm long, in the following segments: heights of the upper third(tr-g), the middle third(g-sn) and the lower third on the face (sn-gn); filter height (sn-Is), distance between the corner of the eye and the labial commissure on the right and left side (ex-ch). Weight and height measurements were collected from the newborns' medical records. The data were submitted to statistical analysis, using the Mann-Whitney test, adopting a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Of the 130 newborns, 61 were male and 69 female. The median weight was 3.3 kg and the median height was 49 cm. There was significant difference between weight and measurement distance between the corner of the eye and the left and right labial commissure (ex-ch). There was no significant difference in orofacial measurements with sex and height. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in orofacial anthropometric measurements of full-term newborns when compared with sex and height; however, when compared to weight, there is a difference in the measurements of the distance between the corner of the eye and the labial commissure on the right and left side.