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Predicted and actual fetal weight throughout the last trimester.
Author(s) -
Morales-Roselló J,
Martinez-Gonzalez L,
Santonja-Lucas J J
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.1997.16.11.711
Subject(s) - medicine , fetus , parity (physics) , gestation , fetal weight , obstetrics , third trimester , birth weight , pregnancy , gynecology , biology , genetics , physics , particle physics
The aim of our study was to obtain, in normal pregnancies, references values of predicted and actual fetal weight for both male and female fetuses and for fetuses born to nulliparous and multiparous women between weeks 28 and 41 of gestation. Predicted fetal weight curves represented calculations of weight in the third trimester based on weight data obtained during the second trimester. These curves were obtained from 134 ultrasonograms obtained between weeks 20 and 27. Actual fetal weight curves represented the values calculated from third trimester measurements and were based on 374 ultrasonograms obtained between weeks 28 and 41. For predicted fetal weight minor differences were found between male and female fetuses and between fetuses born to nulliparous and multiparous women. For actual weights, differences increased progressively for gender and parity during the last trimester. Predicted weights progressed at a steeper rate, and this effect was stressed in cases of female fetuses and fetuses born to nulliparous women. If predicted weights reflect normal growth, differences between fetal gender or maternal parity might be due to environmental influences. Therefore, it might not be justified to construct separate weight charts differentiated by sex or parity.