title: Self-administered measurement of symphysis-fundus heights.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antenatal identification of infants small for gestational age (SGA) improves their perinatal outcome. Repeated measurement of symphysis-fundus (SF) heights performed by midwives is the most widespread screening method for detection of SGA. However, the inefficiency of this method necessitates improved practices. Earlier start and more frequent SF measurements, which could be accomplished by self-administered measurements, might improve the ability to detect deviant growth. The present study was set up to evaluate whether pregnant women can reliably perform SF measurements by themselves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty healthy women with singleton and ultrasound-dated pregnancies from 2 antenatal clinics in Uppsala, Sweden, were asked to perform 4 consecutive SF measurements once every week, from 20 to 25 weeks of gestation until delivery. The self-administered SF measurements were recorded and systematically compared with midwives' SF measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three pregnant women performed self-administered SF measurements over a 14-week period (range: 1-21). The SF curves constructed from self-administered SF measurements had the same shape as previously constructed population-based reference curves. The variance for self-administered SF measurements was higher than that of the midwives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women are capable of measuring SF heights by themselves, but with higher individual variance than midwives. Repeated measurements at each occasion can compensate for the higher variance. The main advantage of self-administered SF measurements is the opportunity to follow fetal growth earlier and more frequently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. eva.bergman@kbh.uu.se
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Helle
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kieler
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petzold
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sonesson
authors.forename: Ove
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Axelsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D001837:Body Weights and Measures / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005748:Gastric Fundus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011631:Pubic Symphysis / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013548:Sweden