A Comprehensive study to Fetal Weight Measurement with Clinical Methods and Ultrasound and Correlation

Abstract

Introduction: Accurate estimation of fetal weight is of paramount importance in the management of labor and in predicting the survival of the baby outside the uterus. The perinatal and maternal outcomes grossly depend on the fetal weight at term gestation⁽¹⁾ and management of diabetic and post-cesarean pregnancies is greatly influenced by the accurate estimation of fetal weight^(2).Different methods of estimating fetal weight have been tried in different parts of the world in search of the best method. A quick clinical method of fetal weight determination in utero will also be useful to paramedical staff working in rural areas to decide regarding referral to higher centres.^[3] Aim: To evaluate the accuracy of fetal weight estimation by clinical and sonographic methods. Methods: This isprospective , observational study carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Department of Obstetrics &Gynaecology of T.N.M.C & BYL Ch. Nair hospital, Mumbai over a period of 18months. It was a prospective study covering 200 pregnant women at term gestation. Results: In our study entitled ‘ A Comprehensive study to Fetal Weight Measurement with Clinical Methods and Ultrasound and Correlation”, estimation using Ultrasonography was found to be more accurate and reliable in estimating the actual fetal weight among term pregnancy. However, the reliability of an Ultrasound machine depends on the quality of the machine and the skill of the sonographer.

Keywords: Fetal birth weight, Hadlock’s method, Johnson’s formula, Macdonald’s formula, Dawn’s formula