Fetal growth rates in Argentina--a national collaborative study. Value of local intrauterine growth charts.

Abstract

A sample of 7,520 pregnancies, representative of the national population of Argentina was used to construct intrauterine Growth Charts. These are applicable nationwide and since 1974, when first designed, have proved efficient and more reliable in evaluating Argentine neonates than the Colorado Growth Charts. We have now evaluated the usefulness and have shown that despite certain changes, the Charts remain accurate and valuable as they were when first elaborated. Argentine infants do not grow at the same rate as those in other countries and, as expected, social and geographic variations can influence fetal growth. This effort should encourage the undertaking of similar ones in other Latin American countries, as they represent unique populations in need of knowledge of their own growth patterns.