Body length is measured from crown to heel. 260-1 shows the relationship between birth weight and gestational age classifications. Measured against gestational age, the newborn's size may provide important clues to several conditions. For example, if the infant is small for gestational age, an intrauterine infection or a chromosomal abnormality may be the cause. Breath sounds are harsh but should be heard equally throughout the chest.
Heart sounds are audible by stethoscope, most prominently beneath the sternum.
There may be marked sinus arrhythmia. Newborns with severe congenital heart diseases, such as aortic atresia or hypoplasia of the right or left ventricle, may present with cyanosis or heart failure. Doppler BP uses an ultrasound transducer in the inflatable cuff to detect vessel turbulence during deflation and thereby accurately determines systolic and diastolic pressures. Alternatively flush BPs can be measured. Blood is drained from a limb by elevating it until the skin pales.