Pattern of Sonographically Estimated Fetal Weight and Actual Birth Weight Among Term Pregnancies

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Fetal weight assessment is an important component of antenatal care, as accurate estimation of fetal weight assists in clinical decision-making and may help anticipate maternal and perinatal complications associated with abnormal fetal weight. Ultrasonography is widely used for fetal-weight estimation because it incorporates multiple fetal biometric parameters, although its accuracy may vary due to several maternal, fetal, and technical factors. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the pattern between sonographically estimated fetal weight and actual birth weight among term pregnancies. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 17 March to 16 September 2018. A total of 100 singleton term pregnancies (37-41 weeks) were evaluated for sonographically estimated and actual birth weight. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 with paired t-test and Pearson's correlation; p<0.05 was considered significant. Written informed consent was obtained. Results: Among 100 term pregnancies, mean maternal age was 24.74 ± 4.53 years, with 56.0% aged 18-25 years and 74.0% primiparous. Mean sonographic EFW was 3.06 ± 0.42 kg versus actual birth weight of 3.11 ± 0.16 kg, showing a significant difference (t = 2.21, p = 0.028) and positive correlation (r = 0.409, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Sonographic fetal-weight estimation showed a pattern broadly comparable to actual birth weight among term pregnancies, with a significant positive relationship but some variation from the actual measurement. Key words: Fetal Weight, Ultrasonography, Term Pregnancy