The Parturient Symphysis-fundal Height Measurement of Nigerian Pregnant Women: A Predictor of Birth Weight

Abstract

Although birth is the culmination of months of prenatal development. Classification of growth for a particular gestational age is a critical part of fetal and infant care. References used at different centers are not always comparable, some are many years old and few have used rounding off to the nearest completed week of gestation as recommended by WHO. The objective of this study is to derive a chart for estimating birth weight from symphysis fundal height (SFH) measurement at labour; and to determine a useful SFH cut off value for prediction of birth weight 4.000grams using prospective SFH in 202 Nigerian pregnant women in Uromi, Edo state. Nigeria. An estimated birth weight chart using SFH at labour was derived in which we observed that birth weight increases with increase SFH at labour; and that a value of 30cm and below predicts a high probability of low birth weight. This chart is presented for intra-partum use in term pregnancies.