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Prediction of size of infants at birth by measurement of symphysis fundus height
Author(s) -
PERSSON B.,
STANGENBERG M.,
LUNELL N. O.,
BRODIN U.,
HOLMBERG N. G.,
VACLAVINKOVA V.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1986.tb07894.x
Subject(s) - medicine , symphysis , fundus (uterus) , obstetrics , pregnancy , birth weight , ophthalmology , surgery , genetics , biology
Summary. Symphysis fundus heights (SF) were measured approximately 15 times during pregnancy in a consecutive series of 2941 women with regular menstrual cycles and known last menstrual period. A reference SF chart from 17 to 40 weeks of pregnancy was derived from measurements in 1350 of these women who were healthy, and heights and pre‐pregnancy weights within the 10th and 90th centiles and were delivered vaginally of healthy infants with a birthweight/length ratio within ±2SD. The reference chart was used to predict fetal growth deviations in the unselected series of pregnancies. The effectiveness of SF measures to detect fetuses with an infant birthweight/length ratio below −2SD or a birthweight below the 10th centile was low; the sensitivity was only 16·7 and 26·6% and the predictive value of positive screening result was 1·8 and 18·0%, respectively. Corresponding values for fetuses with an infant birthweight/length ratio above +2 SD or a birthweight above the 90th centile were 31·8 and 37·5% and 3·3 and 24·5%, respectively. Symphysis fundus (SF) measurement has thus been found to be of limited value as a screening method to detect abnormal size at birth.