Open AccessSYMPHYSIS‐FUNDUS MEASUREMENT IN PREDICTION OF FETAL GROWTH DISTURBANCES
Author(s) -
Wallin A.,
Gyllenswärd Å,
Westin B.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348109158139
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , gestational age , obstetrics , fundus (uterus) , pregnancy , fetus , incidence (geometry) , birth weight , symphysis , pediatrics , ophthalmology , surgery , genetics , physics , optics , biology
. Graphic supervision of pregnancy by symphysis‐fundus (SF) tape measurement was introduced in an area of north Stockholm in 1972. Subsequently a considerable and persistent drop in perinatal mortality was seen. SF‐tape measurements reflect the fetal growth and correlate well with fetal crown‐rump length. Over a 2‐year period SF‐growth data were collected for all infants admitted to the neonatal unit in the area. In all, 812 singletons were studied. Maternal smoking habits in the first trimester were recorded. A group of 283 normal neonates served as controls. A highly significant statistical difference was found on comparing the mean birth weights of infants associated with high, “normal”, and low and/or static SF‐curves from 34 weeks of gestation and onwards. The sensitivity in detecting LGA infants by high SF‐curves was 74%, with a specificity of 84%. The proportion of mothers with uncertain expected dates of confinement (EDC) was high among those having “normal” SF‐curves, yet giving birth to SGA infants. After correction for gestational age, the SF‐curves adjusted for dates were in most cases low and/or static during the weeks prior to delivery. The sensitivity and specificity would thereby have increased to 95% and 93%, respectively, in detecting SGA infants had their dates been certain. Maternal smoking showed an overall incidence of 37% in the first trimester. No increase in incidence was seen among mothers to preterm infants. There was as could be expected a highly increased ratio of smoking mothers to infants with birth weight less than 1 S.D., regardless of gestational age. SF‐tape measurement is recommended as a graphic method of supervising pregnancy for the detection of accelerated and retarded fetal growth. Early and correct determination of gestational age, however, is a prerequisite.