Comparison of adequacy of birth weight for gestational age according to different intrauterine growth curves

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the assessment of the adequacy of birth weight for gestational age according to different intrauterine growth curves. Methods: Across-sectional study, which analyzed gestational and neonatal information from 344 mother-newborn binomials. Birth weight data were analyzed using the International Fetal and New Born Growth Consortium for the 21st Century (INTERGROWTH-21st) and compared with the growth curves proposed by Alexander et al. and Fenton & Kim. Newborns were classified as small for gestational age (SGA), suitablefor gestational age (SUGA) or large for gestational age (LGA). Results: Among the newborns, 51.2% were male, and 93.0% were born at term. Higher prevalence of SUGA and LGA and lower SGA was found by the INTERGROWTH-21st curves when compared to the references of Fenton & Kim and Alexander et al. Moderate agreement was observed in detecting birth weight by different growth curves. Conclusions: There was a lower detection of SGA infants and a higher screening, especially of LGA infants, in the INTERGROWTH-21st evaluation, when compared to the growth curves of Fenton & Kim and Alexander et al.