Prediction of Expected Fetal Weight From Fetal Limb Soft Tissue Measurements [ID 2683393

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study was to investigate a combination of new formulas that predict birth weight in full-term pregnancy by measuring the thickness of the humerus soft tissue and femur soft tissue in fetuses using three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound. METHODS: There were a total of 110 mothers and newborns who were hospitalized with selective cesarean section, induced delivery, or natural delivery between April 2019 and August 2021. We retrospectively investigated fetal biometric parameters (BPD, HC, AC, FL, partial arm volume [Avol], and partial thigh volume [Tvol]), as measured by 4D View 9.0 and GE Healthcare Ultrasound while the mother was admitted to the delivery ward before delivery. The study was approved by the ethics board of the National Medical Center (NMC-2022-03-026). RESULTS: Among the several combinations that showed the expected weight, the weight predicted by AC/BPD/Tvol gave the strongest correlation (0.780) with the actual weight of the newborn, with an error rate of 6.4%. In boys, among the several combinations indicating the predicted body weight, AC/Avol/BPD had the highest correlation coefficient with the actual body weight (0.791), with an error rate of 5.0%. In girls, among several combinations, AC/Tvol/BPD had the highest correlation coefficient with actual body weight (0.878), with an error rate of 5.3%. CONCLUSION: The fetal weight predicted using Tvol and Avol measured using 3D ultrasound as parameters had a lower error rate for birth weight than the predicted weight measured by conventional 2D ultrasound. The parameters highly correlated with birth weight; however, differences were seen between the sexes.