How long after a delivery can you Dubowitz?

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Is it generally 24 hours? I know 2 weeks is too late, but how about, say 72 hours?

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

Narcotics during labor can also affect Dubowitz scores. Babies who appear to be depressed by narcotics at birth can be assessed up to 24 hours of age to get an acurate result.

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Specializes in NICU.

This doctor had told me it's more accurate at 24 hours of age ..... more accurate if you wait until 24 hours of age, than at just a few hours of age. I know this is just what this one doctor said, but I assume he based this upon some kind of research he read or something? I'll have to try and read more about it when I have more time, I find it interesting.

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Specializes in Babies, peds, pain management.

The Dubowitz is a test for gestational age designed by a Dr. Dubowitz and very detailed and comprehensive. The Ballard is a scaled down exam (by a Dr. Ballard) that can give a pretty accurate gestational age as well. There can be several factors that can influence both such as sedation as well as breech presentation (sometimes those toes can touch the ear lobes!). The tests can be done fairly soon post birth and then repeated again at 24 hrs for more accuracy (our papers have "X" for the initial and "O" for the repeat). I usually try and do mine early, 1st hour, because we have lab protocol for SGA and LGA babies and you can't always tell just by weight. That's my 2 cents. :)

Sherry T

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And 'fess up y'all... who has gone back and redone some of tests when the number total doesn't add up to what you think it should be??? ("well, let me do that square window again, maybe it's really 45 degrees instead of 60...")

:uhoh21:

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