Gestational age and fetal growth assessment among obstetricians

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to characterize gestational age assessment and fetal growth evaluation among obstetricians.Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study. We applied a questionnaire to obstetrics specialists and residents, during a national congress on obstetrics.Results: Almost all 179 respondents correct gestational age in the first trimester by ultrasound, but 63% only if there is a difference of 2–9 days. Ultrasound at 11–13 weeks was considered more accurate than at 8–10 weeks by 81%, with a higher proportion of specialists choosing correctly the last answer (p = 0.05). One-third of the respondents did not correctly point the error associated with the ultrasound estimation of fetal weight (EFW). Of the 88% who use a growth table, only 32% were able to identify it by publication/author. Ninety-eight percent identify fetal growth restriction risk (FGR) with centiles (10th in 76%) and 73% of doctors diagnose FGR without other pathological findings (10th in 49%). 44% finds that a low EFW centile maintenance (4th to 3rd) is more worrisome than the crossing of two quartiles (75th to 24th).Conclusions: The role of ultrasound in gestational age assessment and use of EFW use for FGR classification was disparate among participants. EFW and respective centiles may be over relied upon.