The Egyptian formula a New Formula for Prediction of Fetal Birth Weight using Liver Volume Measured by Three-Dimensional Ultrasound (VOCAL System)

Abstract

Introduction: Normal fetal growth is essential for healthy pregnancy. Fetal abdominal circumference measurement is the cornerstone in determination of fetal growth. Fetal liver contributes to the majority of the abdominal circumference, and estimation of its volume has been of interest, especially in cases of growth restriction as hepatic glycogen stores are severely depleted. Aim: To predict fetal growth restriction using the fetal liver volume calculated in the second trimester of pregnancy by 3D ultrasound. Study design: Multi-center case series study. Patients & methods:Three hundred qualified pregnant women attending for 20 weeks anomaly scan had fetal liver volume, head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length measured using three-dimensional VOCAL system then the same measurements were repeated between 34 and 40 weeks. All cases were followed until delivery and babies weighed in the first 24 hours. The data were recorded and statistically analyzed. Results: Statistically significant positive correlation between second trimester fetal liver volume and birth-weight, while other second trimester measurements didn’t show this significant correlation. A significant correlation was found between all third trimester measurements and birth weight. Conclusion: Second trimester liver volume measurement is superior to other second trimester measurements in predicting fetal birth weight.