Utilization of Foot Length as a Non-Invasive Anthropometric Measurement in Neonates Admitted to the NICU in a Tertiary Care Centre in North Karnataka, India

Background: The majority of the neonates in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) would be on respiratory support either invasive or non-invasive ventilation. Therefore, it is difficult to measure anthropometries, such as weight, length, and head circumference in these sick newborns. This study aimed to determine the correlation of foot length with occipitofrontal head circumference (OFC), crown-heel length (CHL), and weight of the newborn. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the level IIb NICU of Shri B M Patil Medical College Hospital and Research center, Vijayapur, India. The foot length, OFC, and CHL of the neonates with gestational ages of 28-42 weeks were measured between 12 hours and 7 days of life. Results: Out of 350 neonates enrolled, 61% and 39% of the newborns were preterm and term, respectively. The correlation between foot length and birth weight (r=0.90) and foot length and length (r=0.89) was pronounced in premature neonates. Moreover, a positive linear correlation was observed between foot length and weight in neonates of all gestational ages. To identify the low birth weight (LBW) neonates (