Assessment of the customized birth weight formula in a low risk Indian population

ABSTRACT

Background: Birth weight is probably the single most important factor that affects neonatal mortality, infant and childhood morbidity in both developed and developing countries. Objective of the study was to formulate a model for prediction of fetal weight at term based on individualized fetal growth parameters.Methods: 131 participant low risk gravidas were enrolled into the study. The participants underwent an ultrasound 7 days prior to delivery. All fetal variables of growth of a random 100 participants were incorporated in an equation derived using multiple regressions to predict birth weight at term. The new equation was then prospectively applied to another 31 pregnant women for validation. The diagnostic performance of the new regression formula was then compared to the Hadlock formula.Results: The customised birth weight formula predicted a higher accuracy with MPE±SD of 0.790±9. compared to the Hadlock formula with MPE±SD - 4.42±8.73. The new formula also explained a greater variance in birth weight of 56% compared to the Hadlock formula of 49%.Conclusions: The new model based on individualized fetal growth parameters recognizes the capacity to modulate an accurate final birth weight, thus emphasizing the need for customized population specific birth weight formulas.