Sonographic evaluation of fetal abdominal circumference and cerebroplacental Doppler indices for the prediction of fetal macrosomia in full term pregnant women. Cohort study

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between cerebroplacental Doppler ratio and birth weight in cases of suspected fetal macrosomia. The pulsatility indices of the umbilical (UA-PI) and middle cerebral (MCA-PI) arteries, the cerebroplacental pulsatility index ratio (CPR) and the estimated fetal weight (EFW) were obtained in a cohort of 150 ultrasound-dated pregnancies at ⩾ 37 weeks’ gestation divided into two groups as follows; large for gestational age (LGA, n = 50) and average for gestational age (AGA, n = 100). There is a significant difference between groups in abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC), biparital diameter (BPD), estimated fetal weight (EFW) and actual fetal weight with a mean difference of 92.7 g in the LGA group and 84 g in the AGA group. MCA-RI and PI were significantly lower in the LGA group with no difference in UA-RI, PI and CPR-PI between both groups. CPR-PI could not differentiate between LGA and AGA.