Article Text

Download PDFPDF
Accuracy of estimated fetal weight in twin pregnancy
  1. M Iqbal1,
  2. M Rathod2,
  3. E Ferriman2
  1. 1University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
  2. 2Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, UK

Abstract

Objective To determine the accuracy of fetal weight estimation in twin pregnancy compared to actual birth weight within a single tertiary centre based in Leeds, UK over the past 6 years.

Methods Twin pregnancies (both Monochorionic and Dichorionic) were examined from 2004 to 2010 from a multiple pregnancy clinic in Leeds. All twins who were delivered within 7 days of their last scan were included in the study (n=242). The Hadlock formula was used to estimate fetal weight utilising abdominal circumference and Femur length in all entries and wherever possible bi-parietal diameter and head circumference were also used (n=137).

Results There were 242 babies (141 sets of twins) delivered within 7 days of their last scan. Of these 120 had estimated fetal weights within 10% of birth weight and 58 were within 10–20%. Measurements were more accurate for twin one than twin two.

Conclusion In this study the estimated fetal weight was 10% or less of the actual birth weight in 50% of the cases. 28% of fetuses had an estimated fetal weight calculated between 10% and 20% of the actual birth weight and 11% of fetuses had an estimated fetal weight more than 20% of the actual birth weight. There appears to be improved accuracy for estimating the birth weight for the first twin when compared to the second twin and this is the same as Danon et al1 concluded.

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request Permissions

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.