Symphysis-fundal height measurements in predicting fetal macrosomia

Abstract

The predictive value of symphysio-funtfai height(SFH) measurements in fetal macrosomia was evaluated in a prospective cross-sectional study of 378 consecutive parturients at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Eastern Nigeria over a three and half months period. Different cutoff levels of SFH were tested for ability to predict macrosomia (defined as a birthweight ≥4000g) by calculating the sensitivity, specificity, false-positive rate etc. The discriminatory power of SFH in predicting fetal macrosomia was determined by constructing a relative operating characteristic(ROC) curve and, testing, the area under the curve for significant difference from the area under the ROC curve for y = x. A cut-off level of SFH ≥ 40cm maximised both the sensitivity and specificity of SFH in predicting macrosomia (X2 168.6, p = 0.0000). The area under the ROC curve for SFH was significantly different from the area under the ROC curve for y = x (p = 0.001). It was concluded that SFH ≥40cm is a good cut-off for predicting fetal macrosomia and is a useful alternative to ultrasonography in our population.

Keywords

• symphysio-fundal height
• prediction macrosomia