Abstract
ObjectiveTo produce a fetal weight chart representative of a Tanzanian population, and compare it to weight charts from Sub-Saharan Africa and the developed world.MethodsA longitudinal observational study in Northeastern Tanzania. Pregnant women were followed throughout pregnancy with serial trans-abdominal ultrasound. All pregnancies with pathology were excluded and a chart representing the optimal growth potential was developed using fetal weights and birth weights. The weight chart was compared to a chart from Congo, a chart representing a white population, and a chart representing a white population but adapted to the study population. The prevalence of SGA was assessed using all four charts.ResultsA total of 2193 weight measurements from 583 fetuses/newborns were included in the fetal weight chart. Our chart had lower percentiles than all the other charts. Most importantly, in the end of pregnancy, the 10th percentiles deviated substantially causing an overestimation of the true prevalence of SGA newborns if our chart had not been used.ConclusionsWe developed a weight chart representative for a Tanzanian population and provide evidence for the necessity of developing regional specific weight charts for correct identification of SGA. Our weight chart is an important tool that can be used for clinical risk assessments of newborns and for evaluating the effect of intrauterine exposures on fetal and newborn weight.
Highlights
Small for gestational age (SGA) and intrauterine growth restricted infants have an increased risk of mortality and morbidity [1,2,3,4]
Very few weight charts have been produced on African populations, and the charts that do exist are mostly based on birth weights (BW) [5,6]
This is caused by a higher prevalence of intrauterine growth retardation among preterm deliveries and the preterm newborn tends to be smaller than the unborn fetus, hereby lowered the percentiles of BW charts [8]
Summary
Small for gestational age (SGA) and intrauterine growth restricted infants have an increased risk of mortality and morbidity [1,2,3,4]. SGA is often used as a proxy for intrauterine growth restriction and defined as a weight below the 10th percentile on a population based weight chart [3]. Very few weight charts have been produced on African populations, and the charts that do exist are mostly based on birth weights (BW) [5,6]. Charts developed from BWs have substantial lower percentiles compared to charts based on fetal weights (FW) [7]. This is caused by a higher prevalence of intrauterine growth retardation among preterm deliveries and the preterm newborn tends to be smaller than the unborn fetus, hereby lowered the percentiles of BW charts [8]. The lower percentiles can result in under-diagnosing SGA [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
