COMPARATIVE STUDY FOR ESTIMATION OF FETAL WEIGHT BY CLINICAL & ULTRASONOGRAPHICAL METHODS IN TERM PATIENTS

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Accurate determination of fetal birth weight prior to delivery can have significant bearing on management decision in labor, thereby markedly improving perinatal outcome. OBJECTIVE: To assess fetal weight in term pregnancy by different clinical and ultrasonographical methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted in Obstetrics and Gynecology department of Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Pimpri, Pune. Two hundred (200) women were selected and studied for a period of one year based on convenience sampling from October 2011 to September 2013.The fetal weight was estimated a week prior to the delivery by both ultrasound and clinical examination. Various formulae's for estimation of fetal weight were applied based on Ultrasound and clinical parameters. All results arising from different formulas were studied and suitable statistics was applied and compared to have clear idea regarding results. RESULTS: All results arising from different formulas were studied by Descriptive statistics and compared with Actual weight at the time of delivery (gold standard). A box plot was used to differentiate various methods used for estimation of fetal weight, It shows that Johnson, Dawn formula and weight in gms (Dare's) formula corresponds with the base line indicating that they can predict birth weight correctly and among these Johnson showed promising results, whereas formulas like Campbell, Comb's, Hadlock and Warsof didn't predict birth weight as accurately as the three clinical methods used, thus in our study it can be seen that clinical methods are better predictors of birth weight than ultrasonographic methods. CONCLUSIONS: In our study it was observed that Clinical methods used for estimation of fetal birth weight was found to be by far simple and reliable methods in estimation of fetal birth weight than Ultrasonographic estimation methods and thus holds importance in day to day practice especially in countries like us where still a large group of population resides in rural areas.

Clinical and sonographic estimation of fetal weight and correlation with the birth weight: a research article

“…2900 grams, thus stating that the clinical method could be taken as reliable predictor for estimation of fetal weight. 9 There was overestimation of fetal weight by Johnson's formula in 64.3% and by ultrasound in 39.3% of cases in low birth weight babies in the present study. In birth weight between 2500 to 3500 grams, Johnson's formula predicted 98.1% and ultrasound predicted 77.1% cases accurately, while in birth weight above 3500 grams, Johnson's formula predicted accurately in 79.5% of cases with underestimation in 20.5% of cases, while ultrasound predicted accurately in only 41% cases with underestimation in 59% cases.…”

“…2,8 Few others indicated that clinical method was simple and more reliable than ultrasound. 9 Clinical estimation of fetal weight is, therefore, an important and necessary skill in the management of obstetric patients in developing countries because of its simplicity in low resource settings as sophisticated instrument like ultrasound is not available everywhere. 1,2 Hence, the study was conducted to assess the fetal weight clinically by Johnson's formula and by ultrasound using Hadlock's formula at term and correlating it with the birth weight of the baby.…”