ABSTRACT
The internipple distance and its relationship to gestational age has not been studied
in infants born in the United States. One hundred and thirty-three newborns between
25 and 40 weeks gestation showed progressive increase in the internipple distance
with increasing gestational age. The internipple index stays constant during various
gestational ages. The internipple index greater than 28% (> 2 SD) at any gestational
age or during immediate postnatal age should be flagged to look into widely spaced
nipples. Extrauterine growth of internipple distance is similar to that of intrauterine
growth.
