Usefulness of symphysis-fundal height in predicting fetal weight in healthy term pregnant women.
BACKGROUND
There are some works reporting that the measurement of the symphysis-fundal height (SFH) of a full-term uterus is a simple method for estimating the fetal weight.


OBJECTIVE
Evaluating the goodness of distance between the symphysis and uterine fundus in predicting both low-weight fetuses and high-weight fetuses, comparing it with the third quarter ultrasound estimation of fetal weight and then assessing the clinical effectivity of symphysis-fundal measurement associated with third quarter echography in predicting birth weight.


METHODS
A prospective study was carried out on 96 single physiologically full-term pregnancies. The diagnostic accuracy of the SFH, echographic fetal growth estimated between the 32nd and the 35th week (expressed in percentiles), and of both was expressed as sensitivity, specificity, predictive positive and negative value, likelihood ratios and compared.


RESULTS
There was a correlation between the SFH and fetal birth weight. A SFH below 33 cm is predictive of a fetus whose weight is less than 3,100 g whereas a SFH above 34 cm is predictive of a fetus whose weight is more than or equal to 4,000 g. The diagnostic effectiveness of the SFH was not significantly higher than the ultrasound scanning evaluation of fetal weight in the third quarter and could be slightly improved if it is taken into account along with the ultrasound scanning data.


CONCLUSIONS
The measurement of the SFH at term may be helpful in foretelling the fetal birth weight and may improve the diagnostic accuracy of the third quarter echographic estimation of birth weight.
Indraccolo
U
U
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. ugo.indraccolo@libero.it
Chiocci
L
L
Rosenberg
P
P
Nappi
L
L
Greco
P
P