Which component does the Ballard/Dubowitz gestational age assessment evaluate?

• A. Respiratory effort.
• B. Bilirubin levels.
• C. Gestational age using physical and neuromuscular criteria.
• D. Blood pressure.

Answer: (C)

The Ballard/Dubowitz assessment estimates gestational age by evaluating the newborn’s physical and neuromuscular maturity. It combines two domains—physical maturity (such as skin, lanugo, plantar creases, breast tissue, eye/ear formation, and genital development) and neuromuscular maturity (including posture, square window, arm recoil, popliteal angle, scarf sign, and heel-to-ear). The total score correlates with weeks of gestation, helping determine if the infant is preterm, late preterm, or term, especially when prenatal dating is unavailable or unreliable. It doesn’t measure respiratory effort, bilirubin levels, or blood pressure, which are separate aspects of newborn assessment.