Dermatoglyphics of fullterm and premature infants.

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Title Dermatoglyphics of fullterm and premature infants.
Publication Type thesis
School or College College of Nursing
Department Nursing
Author Taylor, Betty Kay.
Date 1977-06
Description Prematurity is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, and frequently its cause is unknown. There are implications in the literature that, as in spontaneous abortion, genetic factors play a role in prematurity. Dermatoglyphics is a non-invasive and inexpensive method of studying genetic factors. Patterns of the epidermal ridges are indicators of genetic traits and have been shown to be consistently unusual in populations with genetic defects. Dermatoglyphic changes have been found in diseases involving structural defects of the chromosomes as well as diseases transmitted through a single gene, through polygenetic inheritance and through unknown modes of transmission. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic component in the etiology of premature labor by studying the dermatoglyphic patterns of a group of premature and full term infants. It was expected that those infants who had no observable cause for prematurity and those of shorter gestation would have more unusual dermatoglyphic features than those who were induced or survived a longer gestation. A sample of full term and premature infants was selected. A history was obtained of the mother, the pregnancy and the infant. The gestational age of the infant was determined. The dermal ridges were observed directly with and opthalmascope and the observations were recorded and statistically analyzed. Certain differences emerged between the groups. Premature infants had higher morbidity rats. Their mothers were younger, of lower parity and had more obstetrical complications. The dermatoglyphic data did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between the groups. The prelatures' palms were longer in comparison with their width (p < .001), relative to the full term group. Further research is indicated. The dermatoglyphic technique was not useful as a screening tool for genetic defects, nor did it support the hypothesis that premature infants may be genetically distinct from full term babies. Dermatoglyphic can serve as a useful adjunct to diagnosis in cases of suspected genetic anomaly. The study verified that the technique of direct visualization is practical and established the distribution of dermatoglyphic patterns in the Intermountain population.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Infant, Premature; Nursing
Subject MESH Dermatoglyphics; Infant, Newborn
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name MS
Language eng
Relation is Version of Digital reproduction of "Dermatoglyphics of fullterm and premature infants." Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library. Print version of "Dermatoglyphics of fullterm and premature infants." available at J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collection. RJ25.5 1977 .T38.
Rights Management © Betty Kay Taylor
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Identifier us-etd2,242
Source Original: University of Utah Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library (no longer available).
ARK ark:/87278/s6sf39pz
Setname ir_etd
ID 192458
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6sf39pz
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