Intrapartum Prediction of Low Birth Weight Infant by Measurement of Symphysis-Fundus Height

Abstract

Objective To determine sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of
intrapartum symphysis-fundus height measurement in the prediction of low birth weight infant,
and to determine point of the best sensitivity and specificity of the measurement.
Design Diagnostic test.
Materials and methods Symphysis-fundus heights were measured in 1450 pregnant women who
were admitted for delivery at Thammasat hospital between January 2000 and July 2000.
Sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of the measurement were
calculated by using low birth weight as a gold standard.
Results Incidence of low birth weight infant was 7.9 %. The point that had the best sensitivity
and specificity of symphysis-fundus height in the prediction of low birth weight infant was £ 32
cm. It had 97.4% sensitivity and 72.1% specificity. Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC)
curve of symphysis-fundus height measurement showed that the test had a curve tendency
close to the curve of the good test.
Conclusion Symphysis-fundus height measurement seems effective in predicting low birth weight
infant, it may be introduced to be one of the routine screening tests in intrapartum care.