Amniotic fluid volume as a predictor of fetal distress in intrauterine growth retardation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of sonographic assessment of amniotic fluid volume (AFV) in predicting intrapartum fetal distress in pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) compared with the nonstress test (NST).


METHODS
A prospective study of 242 pregnancies with IUGR who underwent antepartum assessment of AFV and NST with intrapartum continuous FHR monitoring was conducted and analyzed.


RESULTS
AFV was a reliable predictor of intrapartum fetal distress with sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 84.0%, 83.41%, 36.84% and 97.84%, respectively. The efficacy of AFV was comparable with that of the NST.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonographic assessment of AFV is an effective predictor of intrapartum fetal distress in pregnancies with IUGR.
Tongsong
T
T
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
Srisomboon
J
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005316:Fetal Distress / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016104:Oligohydramnios / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal