Fetal weight estimation and prediction of fetal macrosomia in non-diabeticpregnant women

In the present study we investigated the accuracy of Shepard's formula in t he sonographic diagnosis of macrosomic fetus of non-diabetic pregnant women . Three hundred and eighty-one macrosomic and 450 appropriate for gestation al age (AGA) fetuses born to non-diabetic mothers between 37-42 weeks of ge station were included in the study. Ultrasonographic fetal weight estimatio n within two days of delivery was made using Shepard's formula in all patie nts. The estimated fetal weights were compared with the actual birth weight s of the same subjects. We did not observe any macrosomic newborn birth in pregnant women with 3200 g or less fetal weight estimation. However, in pat ients with 3400-3499 g fetal weight estimation, a statistically significant increase in macrosomic newborn birth was observed. Only 3.2% of newborns h aving actual birth weights greater than or equal to 4000 g had sonographic birth weight estimation less than 4000 g. Accuracy of weight estimations us ing the Shepard's formula was found to be low in macrosomic fetus. On the o ther hand, increased incidence of macrosomic newborn birth was observed in subjects with ultrasonographic fetal weight estimations above 3400 g and th is level may be useful as a cut-off value for prediction of macrosomic fetu s in non-diabetic pregnant women. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Al l rights reserved.