📏 Height Calculator
Estimate a child's approximate adult height using the mid-parental height method based on both parents' heights.
Parent Heights
Your Result
This mid-parental height method is a rough genetic estimate. Nutrition, health, hormones, and other environmental factors also strongly influence a child's actual adult height.
How the Height Calculator Works
The mid-parental height method is a widely used pediatric estimate that predicts a child's likely adult height based on the heights of both biological parents.
Formula
Girls: Predicted Height (cm) = (Mother's Height + Father's Height − 13) / 2
Typical range: ± 10 cm (≈ 4 inches)
Worked Example
For a mother who is 5'5" (165.1 cm) and a father who is 5'10" (177.8 cm), predicting a boy's height gives (165.1 + 177.8 + 13) ÷ 2 = 177.95 cm, or about 5'10". The likely range, accounting for the typical ±10 cm variance, spans roughly 5'6" to 6'2".
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is the mid-parental height method?
It provides a reasonable estimate for most children but is not precise — actual adult height can vary by roughly ±4 inches (10 cm) due to genetics, nutrition, and health factors.
Why is 13 cm added or subtracted?
The 13 cm adjustment accounts for the average height difference between adult men and women, converting the average parent height into a sex-specific prediction.
What other factors affect a child's final height?
Nutrition, chronic illness, hormone levels, physical activity, and overall health during childhood and puberty can all influence whether a child reaches their genetically predicted height.