The effects of racial factor on the head and face shapes of normal female newborns in north of Iran (Gorgan)

Anthropometric dimensions are basis for evaluation of newborns’ health. In respect of importance of anthropometric indices of head and face in forensic medicine, surgery, pediatrics, medical imaging, …. We achieved this study. Determining range of head and face dimensions in normal one-day old female newborns on Fars and Turkman races. This descriptive and cross-sectional study is achieved on 423 normal one-day old newborns (Turkman group: N=211, Fars group: N=212) by classic cephalometry method. Mean and standard deviation of cephalic and prosopic indices in Fars group were 78.63±4.7, 74.3±11.5 and in Turkman group were 77.85±8.7, 81.6±9.8 respectively. Dominant and rare types of heads in Fars group were mesocephalic (42%) and hyperbrachycephalic (9%) and in Turkman group were mesocephalic (39%) and hyperbrachycephalic (8%) respectively. Dominant and rare types of face in Fars group was hypereuriprosopic (71%) and hyperleptoprosopic (4.24%) and in Turkman group were mesoprosopic (39%) and hyperleptoprosopic (1.89%) respectively. This study determines the types of head and face in normal female newborns in Fars and Turkman groups and determines the effects of racial factor on the diversity of head and face shapes in normal newborns.