Objectives
To determine the sensitivity and specificity of clinical and sonographic estimation of fetal weight at term in pregnant ladies
Method
The study design was validation study and study was conducted in Social Security Hospital Islamabad during January 2009 to December 2010. Period sampling was done and all cases coming for deliveries in hospital were being taken as sample. Pregnant ladies were gone through estimation of fetal weight both clinically and ultrasonically at term and validated by actual birth weight of fetus after delivery.
Results
When results compared after applying paired t test on ultrasonically calculated weight taken before birth of fetus and actual birth weight we found that actual birth weight was not significantly less than ultrasonic weight. The mean of ultrasonic weight of fetus calculated was 3028.1g ± 498.60g. The t value is - 2.782 and p value is 0.007. But after applying paired t test on clinically calculated weight of baby before birth and actual weight of baby after birth, it was found that actual birth weight was also not significantly less than clinically estimated weight. The mean of clinically calculated weight of fetus was 2998.20g ± 525.8g. The t value was – 0.954 and p value was 0.343.
Conclusion:
Clinical estimation of fetal weight is as accurate as sonographic estimation and also good enough for screening of the birth weight from its high sensitivity and negative predictive value. So it is not necessary to evaluate every pregnant lady for antenatal fetal weight by ultrasound. Instead we can assess fetal weight at term clinically with good accuracy.
Key words: Estimated fetal weight (EFW), Clinical estimation, fetal weight, Sonographic estimation, fetal weight estimation (FEW)
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