Assessment of gestational age: modification of a simplified method.

A simplified method of six features for gestational age assessment was modified to include scored measurements for head circumference and mid-arm circumference, in order to improve reliability. The modified model had better correlation with gestational age than the simplified method, comparable accuracy to the Dubowitz system and was also more rapid. Preterm, low-birthweight, appropriate for gestational-age infants and term, low-birthweight, small for gestational-age infants were reliably identified by the model.