title: Customized Fetal Growth Charts for Parents' Characteristics, Race, and Parity by Quantile Regression Analysis: A Cross-sectional Multicenter Italian Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to construct fetal biometric charts between 16 and 40 weeks' gestation that were customized for parental characteristics, race, and parity, using quantile regression analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a multicenter cross-sectional study, 8070 sonographic examinations from low-risk pregnancies between 16 and 40 weeks' gestation were analyzed. The fetal measurements obtained were biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur diaphysis length. Quantile regression was used to examine the impact of parental height and weight, parity, and race across biometric percentiles for the fetal measurements considered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Paternal and maternal height were significant covariates for all of the measurements considered (P < .05). Maternal weight significantly influenced head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur diaphysis length. Parity was significantly associated with biparietal diameter and head circumference. Central African race was associated with head circumference and femur diaphysis length, whereas North African race was only associated with femur diaphysis length.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we constructed customized biometric growth charts using quantile regression in a large cohort of low-risk pregnancies. These charts offer the advantage of defining individualized normal ranges of fetal biometric parameters at each specific percentile corrected for parental height and weight, parity, and race. This study supports the importance of including these variables in routine sonographic screening for fetal growth abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Tullio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cariello
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Ludovica
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ferrazzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Periti
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prefumo
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stampalija
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Elsa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viora
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.).
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verrotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy (T.G., C.V.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (L.C.); Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts USA (L.R.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Milan, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy (E.F.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Presidio Ospedaliero Firenze, Centro Piero Palagi, Florence, Italy (E.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy (F.P.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy (T.S.); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sant'Anna Hospital, Torino, Italy (E.V.); and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy (G.R.). giuseppe.rizzo@uniroma2.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rizzo
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology*; D057238:Growth Charts; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010290:Parents; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: customized growth charts; fetal biometry; obstetric ultrasound; quantile regression analysis