MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Large for gestational age (LGA)

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Large for gestational age (LGA)

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Definition	Information

Definition

Large for gestational age (LGA) means that a fetus or infant is larger or more developed than normal for the baby's gestational age.

Information

Gestational age is a measure of the growth and development of the fetus in the uterus and the infant after birth. LGA refers to a fetus or infant who is larger than expected for the age and gender or with a birth weight above the 90th percentile.

The measurement is based on the estimated gestational age of the fetus or infant, compared with what is considered normal height, weight, head size, and developmental level for a fetus or infant of the same age and gender.

Update Date: 8/17/2007

Updated by: Melanie N. Smith, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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