COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FETAL WEIGHT ESTIMATION AT TERM WITH BIRTH WEIGHT

Abstract

The aim of modern obstetrics  is to achieve the best        quality of life  for both mother and newborn .Birth weight  along with gestational age is very important indicator for pregnancy outcome. Assessment of   fetal weight in utero  leads to an improved prospective management  of high risk pregnancies and considerable reduction in perinatal morbidity and mortality. Knowledge of   the  weight  of the fetus in-utero is important in cases of gestational diabetes mellitus, trial of labour in case of vaginal birth after caesarean delivery, intra-partum management of breech presentation, preterm delivery and it's postponement, to decide the optimal delivery route and in detection of intra uterine growth restriction . The burden of extreme fetal weight on maternal and neonatal health has thus necessitated research into accurate ways of estimating fetal weight especially estimation of fetal weight would help in taking appropriate management decisions. Very low birth weight babies delivered vaginally may be predisposed to skull injuries. limb fractures, and trauma to the abdominal organs such as the spleen and liver as a result of prematurity. Causes of large birth weight babies include genetic factors (taller, heavier parents tend to have larger babies), gestational age beyond 40 weeks, excessive maternal weight gain, maternal diabetes and the potential complications associated with vaginal delivery which includes shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injury, bone injuries, and intra partum asphyxia, while the maternal risks includes birth canal and pelvic floor injuries increased rate of operative vaginal and caesarean deliveries, and postpartum haemorrhage. Complications of low birth weight include low oxygen levels at birth, trouble feeding and gaining weight, infections, breathing problems and immature lungs (infant respiratorv distress syndrome), nervous system problems such as bleeding inside the brain (intraventricular haemorrhage), digestive problems such as serious infection of the intestines (necrotizing enterocolitis), sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) when there is likelihood of delivering a very low birth weight baby (as in preterm delivery), prenatal counseling on likelihood of survival, optimal route of delivery, or the level of hospital. In order to prevent the adverse consequences of macrosomia in such cases, accurate estimation of fetal weight is of utmost importance. Likewise, accurate estimation of fetal weight is also very important in planning for a vaginal birth after a previous cesarean section and in intrapartum management of fetuses presenting breech. In developing countries like India estimation of fetal weight by clinical method is important in managing the high risk pregnancies and  in the care of neonate. We intend to compare the various methods (clinical and sonological) of fetal weight estimation at term with the weight of the newborn at birth.