Estimation Of Birth Weight Research Articles

Development of selection strategies for genetic improvement in production traits of Mecheri sheep based on a Bayesian multi trait evaluation

The progression of genetic selection techniques to enhance farm animal performance traits is guided by the present level of genetic variation and maternal impact in each trait, as well as the genetic association between traits. This study was conducted on a population of Mecheri sheep maintained from 1980 to 2018 at Mecheri Sheep Research Station, Pottaneri, India, to determine variance and covariance components, as well as genetic parameters for various production performance traits. A total of 2616 lambs, produced by 1044 dams and 226 sires, were examined in the study and the production traits of Mecheri sheep assessed include birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), six-month weight (SMW), nine-month weight (NMW), and yearling weight (YW). The Bayesian approach, using the Gibbs sampler, analyzed six animal models with different combinations of additive direct and maternal additive effects. Direct genetics, maternal genetics, and residual effects models were the major contributors to total phenotypic variation for all the production traits studied. Direct heritability estimates of birth weight, WW, SMW, NMW, and YW were 0.25, 0.20, 0.12, 0.14, and 0.13, respectively. The maternal heritability estimated for BW, WW, SMW, NMW, and YW were 0.17, 0.10, 0.12, 0.14, and 0.14, respectively. The maternal effects had a major impact on the pre-weaning production traits. The genetic correlations estimated between different pairs of production traits studied ranged from 0.19 to 0.93. The body weight at birth exhibited a higher genetic relationship with weaning weight than post-weaning growth characteristics, and the genetic correlation between weaning weight and post-weaning attributes was moderate to high (0.52 to 0.72). Based on the additive genetic variance in weaning weight and the correlation estimates of weaning weight with post-weaning traits, weaning weight was proposed as a selection criterion for improving growth traits in Mecheri sheep.

Development of birth weight estimation model for Ethiopian population from sonographic evaluation

BackgroundFetal birth weight (FBW) estimation involves predicting the weight of a fetus prior to delivery. This prediction serves as a crucial input for ensuring effective, accurate, and appropriate obstetric planning, management, and decision-making. Typically, there are two methods used to estimate FBW: the clinical method (which involves measuring fundal height and performing abdominal palpation) or sonographic evaluation. The accuracy of clinical method estimation relies heavily on the experience of the clinician. Sonographic evaluation involves utilizing various mathematical models to estimate FBW, primarily relying on fetal biometry. However, these models often demonstrate estimation errors that exceed acceptable levels, which can result in inadequate labor and delivery management planning. One source of this estimation error is sociodemographic variations between population groups in different countries. Additionally, inter- and intra-observer variability during fetal biometry measurement also contributes to errors in FBW estimation.MethodsIn this research, a novel mathematical model was proposed through multiple regression analysis to predict FBW with an accepted level of estimation error. To develop the model, population data consisting of fetal biometry, fetal ultrasound images, obstetric variables, and maternal sociodemographic factors (age, marital status, ethnicity, educational status, occupational status, income, etc.) of the mother were collected. Two approaches were used to develop the mathematical model. The first method was based on fetal biometry data measured by a physician and the second used fetal biometry data measured using an image processing algorithm. The image processing algorithm comprises preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction, and fetal biometry measurement.ResultsThe model developed using the two approaches were tested to assess their performance in estimating FBW, and they achieved mean percentage errors of 7.53% and 5.89%, respectively. Based on these results, the second model was chosen as the final model.ConclusionThe findings indicate that the developed model can estimate FBW with an acceptable level of error for the Ethiopian population. Furthermore, this model outperforms existing models for FBW estimation. The proposed approach has the potential to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates by providing accurate fetal birth weight estimates for informed obstetric planning.

Effects of heavy metal exposure during pregnancy on birth outcomes

Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury poses serious health risks to pregnant women because of their high toxicity. In this study, we investigated the associations of heavy metal exposure with birth outcomes of Korean infants. Data of 5,215 women between 2015 and 2019 were analyzed. This study was part of the Korean Children’s Environmental Health (Ko-CHENS) study. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were used to examine effects of concentrations of lead, cadmium, and mercury on birth weight, small for gestational age, and large for gestational age after adjusting for maternal age groups, parity, infant sex, education, income, smoking, drinking, body mass index, stillbirth, premature birth, diabetes, hypertension, and gestational diabetes. Besides adjusting for these covariates, each metal was mutually adjusted to estimate birth weight and large for gestational age status. Maternal cadmium concentrations during early pregnancy (β = − 39.96; 95% confidence interval (CI): − 63.76, − 16.17) and late pregnancy (β = − 37.24; 95% CI − 61.63, − 12.84) were significantly associated with birth weight. Cadmium levels during early pregnancy (adjusted OR = 0.637; 95% CI 0.444, 0.912) were also associated with large for gestational age status. Our findings suggest that prenatal cadmium exposure, even at a low level of exposure, is significantly associated with low birth weight.

Comparative analysis of clinical and sonographic estimation of fetal weight in term pregnancy at a tertiary care hospital

Abstract Objectives: Determining fetal weight is crucial in effectively managing labor and delivery. It helps make informed decisions about the most suitable delivery method and also aids in identifying conditions such as low birth weight, macrosomia, and intrauterine growth restriction in the fetus. In settings where ultrasound may not be readily available due to limited resources, it becomes essential to assess how accurately fetal weight can be estimated clinically by comparing it to ultrasound measurements and the actual birth weight. This study aimed to assess fetal weight in full-term pregnancies using clinical and ultrasound methods and compare their accuracy while examining their correlation with birth weight. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational and comparative study included 200 women in their full-term pregnancies. The study was conducted from November 2019 to October 2021. In this research, we calculated birth weight estimates using clinical methods (using Johnson’s and Dare’s formulas) and ultrasound (using Hadlock’s procedure). Subsequently, these estimated weights were compared to the actual birth weight data. Results: The findings of this study revealed that Hadlock’s ultrasound formula offered the most precise fetal weight estimates, with Dare’s clinical method following closely. Clinical and ultrasound estimations notably showed a significant positive correlation with birth weight. Conclusion: The ultrasound method is superior in accurately assessing birth weight compared to the clinical approach. Consequently, it is advisable to prioritize ultrasound whenever available and feasible.

Term Delivery Complicated by Uterine Rupture with No Prior History of Cesarean Section or Uterine Curettage Following Oxytocin Use and Arrest in Second Stage of Labor: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Uterine rupture during delivery in an unscarred uterus may be associated with oxytocin dose during second stage arrest and with underlying maternal factors. This report is of a 34-year-old woman, gravida 5, para 3, with no previous history of cesarean section (CS), who had a uterine rupture at term delivery following the use of oxytocin for second-stage arrest. CASE REPORT A 34-year-old Afghani woman, gravida 5, para 3 was admitted at term for delivery. The current pregnancy had been normal and the estimated birth weight was approximately 4000 g. There was no history of steroid treatment or any underlying connective tissue disease, and no history of dilation and curettage. Oxytocin was given as per protocol, starting at 20 ml/h of a dilution of 10 IU/1 L natrium chloride (NaCl). Subsequent labor progress was complicated by arrest of descent in the second stage of labor, necessitating cesarean section delivery. After opening the abdominal wall, a uterine rupture with several large blood clots was discovered, freely floating in the peritoneal space, about 500 ml in volume. The rupture stretched from the left side of the uterine body and down into the thin lower segment. The tissue in this area had diffuse hematoma. CONCLUSIONS Although uterine rupture mostly occurs in women with previous CS, this report has shown that uterine rupture can occur in pregnancy complicated by arrest in the second stage of labor.

Comparison of Ultrasonographic Estimated Fetal Weight at Term with Actual Birth Weight in Punjab

Background: The fetus is thought to have an inherent growth potential that under normal circumstances, yields a healthy newborn of appropriate size. Knowledge of weight of fetus in intrauterine life is important for the obstetrician to decide the management plan for delivery whether it would be vaginal or cesarean section. Aim: To compare estimated fetal weight on ultrasound at term with actual birth weight in Bahawalnagar Punjab. Methodology: A cross sectional analytical study was conducted at Tahir Medical Complex Haroon Abad district Bahawalnagar. Data of 200 participants were designated done suitable sample method. SPSS version 21.0 was used for data analysis. Results: out of total number of 200 pregnant women, mean±S. D of estimated fetal weight were 3245.8150±17.53151, Mean ±S. D of actual birth weight were 3260.7700±17.80643. Mean±S.D of Biparietal diameter were 9.2325±0.23428. The minimum and maximum values were 8.70 and 9.76 respectively. Two hundred pregnant females were included in this study. Conclusion: This study indicates that estimation of Birth weight clearly has a role in management of labor and delivery in a term pregnancy. Among term singleton cephalic pregnancies studied, fetal weight estimation using Hadlock’s formula is comparable to ultrasound estimates for predicting the actual birth weight within 10%. This study also revealed the mean estimated weight through ultrasound were similar to actual weight. Our results indicated the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in estimation of birth weight to be considerably significant therefore it is a reliable modality for estimating fetal weight using the Biparietal diameter, femur length and abdominal circumference as compared to actual birth weight. Keywords: Expected Fetal weight, actual fetal weight, Biparietal diameter, abdominal circumferences, femur length.

Diyabetik Gebelerde HbA1c ve Glukoz Düzeylerinin Doğum Ağırlığı Tahmininde Kullanılması

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of baby birth weight estimation in relation to HbA1c levels of pregnant women diagnosed with pre-gestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). 
 Material and Methods: 105 patients who met the criteria agreed to participate in our study, of whom 7 were type 1 DM and 32 were type 2 DM. The pregnancy history of the patients who agreed to participate was obtained with a lot of demographic information as well as weight gains during pregnancy, HbA1c and fasting blood glucose levels.
 Results: Fasting glucose values were measured at 28 and 32 weeks of gestation. The blood glucose values that we measured one hour after satiation and HbA1c were higher in the PDGM group than in the GDM group. There was no significant difference between weight gain and BMI values. We used ROC curve analysis to test the predictive power of fasting and postprandial blood glucose levels or weight gain during pregnancy in our patients with GDM for LGA babies(LGA) (AUC: 0.663, %95 CI [0.526, 0.800], AUC: 0.678, %95 CI [0.540, 0.816], AUC: 0.677, %95 CI [0.548, 0.805], respectively).In addition, ROC analysis was used in evaluating fasting blood glucose measurements, 1-hour postprandial blood glucose measurements, and HbA1c levels to predict LGA.(AUC: 0.889, %95 CI [0.782, 0.996], AUC: 0.893, %95 CI [0.737, 1.000], AUC:0.931, %95 CI [0.807, 1.000], respectively).
 Conclusion: In both healthy people and pregnant women, it is important to keep blood glucose levels within normal limits. In pregnant women diagnosed with PDGM or GDM, this is even more important as the welfare of the baby is considered. LGA deliveries can be avoided in pregnant women with PDGM by close monitoring of postprandial blood glucose and HbA1c levels. Close monitoring of GWG is also beneficial in the follow-up of pregnant women diagnosed with GDM.

Inadequate dietary diversity during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal anemia and low birth weight in Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Inadequately diversified food consumption during pregnancy can lead to micronutrient deficiencies, which can affect maternal and newborn health outcomes. Previous studies on maternal dietary diversity have either been limited to a specific geographical region or consist entirely of systematic reviews, without meta-analyses. Thus, this study aimed to determine the pooled estimate of the association between inadequate dietary diversity during pregnancy, maternal anemia, and low birth weight in Africa. A systematic review of observational studies published between January 2000 and April 2022 was undertaken using the Google Scholar, PubMed, and CINAHL databases. The PRISMA checklist was followed to present the results. Microsoft Excel was used to abstract the data. STATA version 17 was used to analyze the data, and a random-effects meta-analysis model was applied to compute the pooled estimates. The study was registered in PROSPERO with protocol number CRD42022320873. A total of 22 publications with 9,696 participants were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for inadequate dietary diversity and maternal anemia was 2.15 (95% CI, 1.66-2.65), while that for low birth weight was 2.04 (95% CI, 1.46-2.63). The highest pooled estimate of maternal anemia was reported in Cameroon (AOR = 9.8, 95% CI: 1.68-17.92), followed by Ethiopia (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.95-3.25). Similarly, the pooled estimates of low birth weight were highest in Cameroon (AOR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.19-4.88) and Ethiopia (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.29-2.39). In Africa, pregnant mothers with inadequate dietary diversity are two times more likely to develop anemia and low birth weight. Social protection policies that prioritize pregnant women, maternal nutrition promotion in the community, and dietary counseling during antenatal care visits, using national food-based dietary guidelines, should be strengthened.

The Most Accurate Way of Predicting Birth Weight in China: Zhuo’s Formula

Background: Pregnancy body mass index (BMI) influences fetal weight, yet no studies focused on the comparison of formulas’ predictive accuracy after considering it. Objective: This study aimed to find out the most accurate formula for predicting birth weight, especially in different BMI pregnant women. Methods: It is a prospective observational study. Using a convenient sampling, the participants who met the criteria for inclusion were recruited in a tertiary hospital from January to March 2019. BMI was calculated according to the pregnant woman’s weight and height at the first obstetric visit. The estimated birth weights were predicted by five formulas based on participants’ uterine height and abdominal circumference of the last obstetric examination. The actual birth weight was scaled in the delivery room. The root mean square error (RMSE), empirical cumulative distribution map (ECDP) and Bland–Altman plot were used to determine the accuracy of the formulas in predicting birth weight. Results: A total of 1197 pregnant women were recruited. The RMSE, median value and difference of Zhuo’s formula in predicting the actual birth weight were the smallest (348.7), the closest to 0 (20.0) g, and the smallest (-0.141 ± 11.511) g, respectively. In subgroup analysis, the RMSE of Zhuo’s formula was the smallest in the low and normal BMI groups, and the difference of Zhuo’s formula by Bland- Altman plot was the smallest (only 0.729±10.440) g in the overweight and obese group. Conclusion: Zhuo’s formula for predicting birth weight has the highest accuracy in different BMI groups. Thus, it is worth recommending for clinical use.

Predicting obstetric anal sphincter injuries among laboring women: 2 prediction models and 1 risk calculator

Abstract Background: Although several prediction models have been developed to estimate the risk of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) among laboring women, none have been used in clinical practice because of controversial or unavailable predictors included in the prediction models and the format used to present them. Thus, it is essential to develop evidence-based prediction models for OASIS using known antenatal and modifiable intrapartum factors and to present them in user-friendly formats. Objective: The objective of this study was to develop evidence-based prediction models for OASIS and a risk calculator to present prediction models. Methods: Models were developed based on a systematic review and meta-analysis in which risk factors for OASIS were identified, and the pooled odds ratio for each risk factor was calculated. A logistic regression model was used to develop the prediction models, and MATLAB with a graphical user interface was used to develop the risk calculator. Results: Two prediction models for OASIS were established: Model I and Model II. Model I included 7 known antenatal variables: maternal age, parity, prior cesarean delivery, prepregnancy body mass index, gestational age, estimated birth weight, and fetal position. Model II added 5 modifiable intrapartum variables to Model I: epidural analgesia, labor induction, labor augmentation, episiotomy, and operative vaginal birth. The risk calculator developed by writing the parameters in the logistic regression models into MATLAB scripts included 2 interfaces, each consisting of risk factors for OASIS and the possibility of OASIS occurring. Conclusions: This study developed 2 prediction models and a risk calculator for OASIS based on a systematic review and meta-analysis. Although the models were more scientific in model development methods and predictors included in the prediction models, they should be externally validated and updated to ensure better performance before they can be widely applied to guide clinical practice.

Birth weight and stillbirth genetic parameter estimation in ariver buffalo simulated population.

Stillbirth (SB) is a threshold character that has been detected as the most important factor affecting the future reproductive life of an animal. In buffaloes, stillbirth accounts for approximately 42% of all reproductive disorders being considered as the main reproductive disorder in buffalo calves. The present study aimed to estimate the heritability values and to determine the genetic and phenotypic correlation between stillbirth rate and birth weight (BW) using a Bayesian approach via Gibbs sampling method in a river buffalo population. A stochastic simulation was used to create a population in which random mating was used for 15 discrete generations. A bivariate animal model including maternal effects was used. Maternal effects were significant (p < .05) for both BW and SB. The results showed that when the SB rate increased from 1% to 50%, the estimated direct heritability of SB increased. Yet, by increasing the SB rate from 50% to 99%, a decrease of the SB estimated direct heritability was observed. The genetic correlation between BW and SB was decreased by increasing the level of occurrence of SB in the population from 1% to 99%. The root mean square error (RMSE) of heritability was increased from 40% to 70% level of occurrence of SB. Based on findings, it can be concluded that to reduce stillbirth rate in the population, it is possible to use genetic improvement program and birth weight could be one of the main components of a selection goal.

Foetal weight estimation with descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of significant ultrasonographic parameter and fuzzy artmap classifier

High and low weight of the foetus at birth can be associated with an increased risk of neonatal complications. So far, various techniques have been proposed for estimating birth weight. In the proposed method a powerful fuzzy-neural classifier is used. The method is evaluated on a set of 40 ultrasonographic foetal data, in which foetuses are at 37 and 38 weeks of gestation. The features used for classification training and testing are superior features that have been used by experts in the field for many years, including the length of the femur, the bicuspid diameter, and the circumference of the foetal head. The results of the implementation of the proposed method on the dataset indicate the achievement of 98.96% accuracy, which will be evidence of its good performance on the new data. The new method can be used to provide accurate estimates of foetal birth weight.

Comparative Study for Estimation of Fetal Weight by Various Clinical Methods and its Correlation with Actual Birth Weight

Introduction:Fetal weight, in conjunction with gestational age, is an important indicator of pregnancy outcome.Accurate estimation of fetal weight is of paramount importance in the management of labor and delivery and it also help in avoidance of complications associated with fetal excessive or low-birth-weight babies, thereby decreasing perinatal morbidity and mortality. Various clinical formulae like Johnson’s formula &amp; Dare’s formula are in use for fetal weight estimation. Aim of the study was to assess the fetal weight in term pregnancy by various clinical methods- Dare’s formula &amp; Johnson’s formula and its comparison and correlation with actual birth weight.Materials &amp; Method: It was a prospective observational study of 334 women at term pregnancy at GMERS medical college &amp; Hospital, Vadnagar from April 2021 to July 2021. The formulas used in this study were: Johnson’s formula and Dare’s formula. The measurements were compared with actual birth weight after the birth of baby.Results: The mean actual birth weight was 2759.07±466.15 grams. The mean estimated birth weight by Dare’s and Johnson’s method was 2845.79±453.43 grams and grams 2990.81±413.68respectively. Dare’s method was more accurate and had least maximum and minimum error than Johnson’s method.Conclusion: Dare’s formula is an inexpensive method for fetal birth weight estimation. It can be used on large scale because of its low cost, ease of use, and need for little training as the setup for ultra sonographic evaluation is not readily available in rural setups. Keywords: Abdominal Girth, Actual birth weight, Dare’s formula, Estimated birth weight, Johnson’s formula, Symphysio-fundal height.

New WHO recommendations for the care of preterm or low birthweight infants have the potential to transform maternal and newborn health-care delivery

The incidence of preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks) worldwide was 15·2 million in 2019, occurring in 11% of livebirths. 1 Cao G Liu J Liu M Global, regional, and national incidence and mortality of neonatal preterm birth, 1990-2019. JAMA Pediatr. 2022; 176: 787-796 Crossref PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar , 2 Our World in DataNumber of births and deaths per year, world. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/births-and-deaths-projected-to-2100Date: 2022 Date accessed: November 7, 2022 Google Scholar In 2015, an estimated 20·5 million livebirths globally were low birthweight (LBW; weight <2500g at birth). 3 Blencowe H Krasevec J de Onis M et al. National, regional, and worldwide estimates of low birthweight in 2015, with trends from 2000: a systematic analysis. Lancet Glob Health. 2019; 7: e849-e860 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (322) Google Scholar The survival, health, growth, and neurodevelopment of preterm and LBW infants lags behind that of full-term infants and special care is needed for these vulnerable infants. 4 Escobar GJ McCormick MC Zupancic JA et al. Unstudied infants: outcomes of moderately premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006; 91: F238-F244 Crossref PubMed Scopus (119) Google Scholar , 5 Wang ML Dorer DJ Fleming MP Catlin EA Clinical outcomes of near-term infants. Pediatrics. 2004; 114: 372-376 Crossref PubMed Scopus (535) Google Scholar Preterm and LBW infants are susceptible to impaired respiration, difficulty feeding, growth failure, poor body temperature regulation, and infection. 4 Escobar GJ McCormick MC Zupancic JA et al. Unstudied infants: outcomes of moderately premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2006; 91: F238-F244 Crossref PubMed Scopus (119) Google Scholar , 5 Wang ML Dorer DJ Fleming MP Catlin EA Clinical outcomes of near-term infants. Pediatrics. 2004; 114: 372-376 Crossref PubMed Scopus (535) Google Scholar Globally, preterm birth accounts for 36·1% of neonatal deaths and 17·7% of deaths among children younger than 5 years. 6 Perin J Mulick A Yeung D et al. Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-19: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2022; 6: 106-115 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (52) Google Scholar Complications of preterm birth are the leading cause of death in children before their fifth birthday. An estimated 0·94 million deaths worldwide were due to preterm birth in 2019. 6 Perin J Mulick A Yeung D et al. Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-19: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2022; 6: 106-115 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (52) Google Scholar

Data quality of birthweight reporting in India: Evidence from cross-sectional surveys and service statistics

The study aims to assess the quality of birthweight data collected in two surveys, including the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS), and as reported in the statistics from the Health Management Information System (HMIS). The study also aims to assess the implications of the data on the estimates of low birthweight (LBW). The percentage of newborns whose birthweight is missing continues to be high in the recent surveys (NFHS-4: 22%, CNNS: 30%) despite an improvement from 66% in NFHS-3. The under-coverage of birthweight data in HMIS is around 40%. In the surveys, the percentage of missing data on birthweight is higher among newborns belonging to poor households, Scheduled Tribes, and Scheduled Castes. Irrespective of whether birthweights are reported from the health cards or from mother's recall, there's a high reporting at multiples of 500g and heaping at 2,500g. The prevalence of missing data on birthweight and of heaping is higher among children born at home in comparison to facility-based births. Birthweight data of dead children who were more likely to have had a lower birthweight is highly underreported. The paper demonstrates state-level variations in birthweight reporting and inconsistencies across surveys and HMIS. In 2015–16, the prevalence of LBW as per HMIS data was 12.5%, whereas during the same period, NFHS-4 and CNNS reported a prevalence of 18%. The findings suggest that LBW is likely to be underestimated when missing data as well as heaping at 2,500g are highly prevalent. To generate robust LBW estimates in India, there is an urgent need to devise methods to ensure coverage of all live births (including early neo-natal deaths) as well as the stillbirths, irrespective of the facility where the deliveries take place.

Sex-specific associations between maternal exposure to parabens, phenols and phthalates during pregnancy and birth size outcomes in offspring.

Current evidence on the effects of prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals on birth size remains largely inconclusive. We aimed to investigate sex-specific associations between maternal exposure to parabens, phenols and phthalates during pregnancy and birth weight, length and head/abdominal circumferences. We performed a prospective study of 88 pregnant women who underwent amniocentesis in the period 2012 to 2014. Maternal urine samples were collected during pregnancy in weeks 12 to 36 (median: 18 weeks). The concentrations of parabens, phenols and individual phthalate diester metabolites were analyzed by isotope-diluted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and osmolality adjusted. Linear regression models estimated the associations between urinary levels of selected compounds (tertile(T2-T3)medium/high versus T1low exposure) and birth size, stratified by offspring sex. A total of three parabens, two phenols, four individual phthalate metabolites and four sums of diester metabolites were detectable above limits of detection in at least 60% of urine samples. Overall, we observed few statistically significant associations, but medium/high exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in male offspring was associated with statistically significant lower birth size across most outcomes [birth weight: -428 g (95% CI -756 to -99.4); birth length: -1.76 cm (95% CI -3.28 to -0.25); abdominal circumference: -1.97 cm (95% CI -3.55 to -0.39)]. Similarly, medium/high exposure to methyl paraben (MeP) in male offspring was associated with lower birth weight (-661 g, 95% CI -1251 to -70.7) and length (-3.11 cm, 95% CI -5.76 to -0.46) compared to low exposure. None of these associations were statistically significant in female offspring. Across all compounds, individual exposures were associated with more negative estimates of birth weight for male than for female offspring. Our study indicates that prenatal exposure to BPA and MeP may negatively affect birth size outcomes, with a possible sex effect. Given the small sample size, these findings need to be replicated in future larger studies.

Comparative study on estimation of fetal weight in term pregnancy by clinical methods and USG with actual birth weight in a tertiary care center

Background: Primary goal in modern obstetrics is to deliver a healthy baby in a healthy mother. Birth weight is the most important factor in determining the neonatal outcome and survival.1 So the accurate estimation of fetal weight is one of the important aspects in management of labour.2 objectives: To compare the accuracy of estimated fetal weight by USG and clinical methods with actual birth weight. Material &amp; Methods: Study Design: Prospective hospital based cross – sectional study. Study area: Department of Obstetrics &amp; Gynaecology, Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Osmania Medical college, Petlaburj, Hyderabad, Telangana state. Study Period: Feb. 2021 - Jan 2022. Study population: Pregnant women attending Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, Modern Government Maternity Hospital, Osmania Medical college, Petlaburj, Hyderabad. Sample size: Study consisted a total of 200 cases. Results: There was no significant difference between actual birth weight and USG, Johnson and Dare’s formula estimated weight. It is inferred that all the methods are more or less accurately estimated the actual birth weight. But, when compared to the other two methods, USG estimate was more accurate as the mean difference between USG estimate and actual birth weight was found to be very less ie. 13.00 g.

Infant birth weight estimation and low birth weight classification in United Arab Emirates using machine learning algorithms

Accurate prediction of a newborn’s birth weight (BW) is a crucial determinant to evaluate the newborn’s health and safety. Infants with low BW (LBW) are at a higher risk of serious short- and long-term health outcomes. Over the past decade, machine learning (ML) techniques have shown a successful breakthrough in the field of medical diagnostics. Various automated systems have been proposed that use maternal features for LBW prediction. However, each proposed system uses different maternal features for LBW classification and estimation. Therefore, this paper provides a detailed setup for BW estimation and LBW classification. Multiple subsets of features were combined to perform predictions with and without feature selection techniques. Furthermore, the synthetic minority oversampling technique was employed to oversample the minority class. The performance of 30 ML algorithms was evaluated for both infant BW estimation and LBW classification. Experiments were performed on a self-created dataset with 88 features. The dataset was obtained from 821 women from three hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. Different performance metrics, such as mean absolute error and mean absolute percent error, were used for BW estimation. Accuracy, precision, recall, F-scores, and confusion matrices were used for LBW classification. Extensive experiments performed using five-folds cross validation show that the best weight estimation was obtained using Random Forest algorithm with mean absolute error of 294.53 g while the best classification performance was obtained using Logistic Regression with SMOTE oversampling techniques that achieved accuracy, precision, recall and F1 score of 90.24%, 87.6%, 90.2% and 0.89, respectively. The results also suggest that features such as diabetes, hypertension, and gestational age, play a vital role in LBW classification.

Dietary protein intake during pregnancy and birth weight among Chinese pregnant women with low intake of protein

BackgroundPrevious studies have yielded inconsistent results on the association between maternal dietary protein intake and birth weight. Moreover, little is known about the effects of dietary protein intake from different sources on fetal growth. This study aimed to investigate the associations of different dietary protein sources (total protein, animal protein, plant protein, and major dietary protein sources) during pregnancy with birth weight and the related adverse birth outcomes.Methods7310 women were recruited using a stratified multistage random sampling method at 0–12 months (median: 3; 10–90th percentile: 0–7) after delivery in Shaanxi, China. Maternal diets were gathered by a validated FFQ and other characteristics were collected by a standard questionnaire. Multilevel linear or logistic regression models were used to estimate birth weight changes or ORs (95% CIs) for adverse birth outcomes associated with different dietary protein sources during pregnancy.ResultsThe mean percentage of energy from total protein was 11.4% (SD 2.2), with only 27.4% of total protein derived from animal protein. Per 3% increase in energy from total protein, animal protein, and dairy protein was associated with birth weight increases of 19.4 g (95% CI 6.0–32.9), 20.6 g (4.8–36.5), and 18.2 g (4.7–31.7), respectively. Per 3% increase in energy from total protein, animal protein, and dairy protein was also associated with lower risks of low birth weight (LBW) (total protein: OR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.64–0.94; animal protein: 0.79, 0.65–0.96; dairy protein: 0.71, 0.56–0.91), small for gestational age (SGA) (total protein: 0.88, 0.79–0.98; animal protein: 0.87, 0.78–0.97; dairy protein: 0.81, 0.68–0.96), and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (total protein: 0.84, 0.72–0.98; animal protein: 0.86, 0.75–0.98; dairy protein: 0.78, 0.66–0.92). We observed no associations of plant protein and other major dietary protein sources with birth weight and the above birth outcomes. The results did not change when maternal protein was substituted for fat or carbohydrate.ConclusionsAmong Chinese pregnant women with low intake of protein, higher intake of dietary protein, in particular animal protein and dairy protein, is associated with higher birth weight and lower risks of LBW, SGA, and IUGR.

Comparison of Actual Birth Weight with the Ultrasonographic and Clinical Estimation of Fetal Birth Weight: A Prospective Study

Introduction: Determination of fetal weight is important for the management during labour and delivery. It helps in determining the mode of delivery and aids in diagnosing low birth weight, macrosomia, and intrauterine growth restriction fetus. Ultrasound may not be available in under-resourced settings. Therefore, it is important to study the accuracy of clinical estimation of fetal weight with the sonographic and actual birth weight.&#x0D; Methods: One hundred and fifty women fulfilling the inclusion criteria were enrolled for the study. Clinical estimation of fetal weight was done by using the Johnson formula. Then the women were subjected to ultrasound. Sonographic estimation of fetal weight was done by the Hadlock method. The two estimated fetal weights were then compared with the actual birth weight. Data were analyzed using SPSS (VERSION 16).&#x0D; Results: Actual birth weight has a strong correlation with the ultrasonographic birth weight (p=0.01). However, the clinical birth weight estimation was less correlating to the actual birth weight (p=0.638)&#x0D; Conclusion: The ultrasound method is better in determining the actual birth weight as compared to the clinical method. Hence, ultrasound has to be recommended whenever available.