Comparative Assessment of Fetal Malnutrition by Clinical Assessment of Nutrition Score and Anthropometry in Term Singleton Newborns

Background Fetal malnutrition is not the same as being small for gestational age. This study was designed to compare the detection of fetal malnutrition through Clinical Assessment of Nutritional (CAN) scores and anthropometric measurements in terms of singleton newborns. Methods Weight at birth, length, mid-arm circumference, and head circumference were measured between 24 and 48 h after birth in this prospective cross-sectional study. The diagnostic accuracy of the Ponderal Index (PI), mid-arm circumference/head circumference ratio (MAC/HC), and body mass index (BMI) was determined using the CAN score as the gold standard. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to evaluate the cutoff values of BMI, PI, and MAC/HC for predicting malnutrition. The data were processed and analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics version 25. Results BMI (≤12.0534 kg/m 2 ), MAC/HC (≤0.3075), PI (100 × g/cm 3 ≤2.4516) had sensitivity of 80.20%, 67.33%, and 66.34%, and specificity of 78.89%, 76.38%, and 66.33%, with ROC curve area (AUC) 0.847, 0.754, and 0.692, respectively. BMI ≤12.0534 kg/m 2 was the best overall predictor of malnutrition, as defined by the CAN score. Conclusion BMI (≤12.0534 kg/m 2 ) is the most effective screening tool for detecting malnutrition.