TY - JOUR
T1 - The predictive value of first trimester fetal volume measurements, a prospective cohort study
AU - Smeets, N.A.C.
AU - Winkens, B.
AU - Prudon, M.
AU - Ven, de, J.V.
AU - Gondrie, V.P.
AU - Deursen, van, F.
AU - Oei, S.G.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Objectives
To determine if fetal volume (FV) measurements with three-dimensional ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy can detect the fetus at risk for preterm birth and/or low birth weight.
Methods
In this prospective cohort study, 538 participants were included during the routine first trimester ultrasound examination. Volume measurements were performed with VOCAL (9°). Firstly, the relation between FV and gestational age for a set of participants with normal pregnancies (training set), was assessed using multiple linear regression analysis, which was then used to determine the expected normal values. Secondly, for a new set of participants with normal pregnancies and a set of participants with complicated pregnancies (preterm birth and/or low birth weight), i.e. the validation set, the observed fetal volumes (FVobserved) were compared with their expected normal values (FVexpected) and expressed as a percentage of the expected normal value. The difference in mean percentage was then assessed with independent-samples t-test. Finally, logistic regression analysis was applied to the validation set to analyze the ability to predict the pregnancy outcome with FV calculation.
Results
Linear regression analysis of FV as a predictor of preterm birth and/or low birth weight did not result in significant (p = 0.630 and 0.290, respectively) or clinical relevant results (standardized effect sizes of 0.061 and 0.179, respectively). The predicting quality was also very low (AUC = 0.508 and 0.545 respectively).
Conclusions
Fetal volume measurements in the first trimester of pregnancy are not useful as a prognostic tool for predicting pregnancies of high risk for preterm birth or a low birth weight.
AB - Objectives
To determine if fetal volume (FV) measurements with three-dimensional ultrasound in the first trimester of pregnancy can detect the fetus at risk for preterm birth and/or low birth weight.
Methods
In this prospective cohort study, 538 participants were included during the routine first trimester ultrasound examination. Volume measurements were performed with VOCAL (9°). Firstly, the relation between FV and gestational age for a set of participants with normal pregnancies (training set), was assessed using multiple linear regression analysis, which was then used to determine the expected normal values. Secondly, for a new set of participants with normal pregnancies and a set of participants with complicated pregnancies (preterm birth and/or low birth weight), i.e. the validation set, the observed fetal volumes (FVobserved) were compared with their expected normal values (FVexpected) and expressed as a percentage of the expected normal value. The difference in mean percentage was then assessed with independent-samples t-test. Finally, logistic regression analysis was applied to the validation set to analyze the ability to predict the pregnancy outcome with FV calculation.
Results
Linear regression analysis of FV as a predictor of preterm birth and/or low birth weight did not result in significant (p = 0.630 and 0.290, respectively) or clinical relevant results (standardized effect sizes of 0.061 and 0.179, respectively). The predicting quality was also very low (AUC = 0.508 and 0.545 respectively).
Conclusions
Fetal volume measurements in the first trimester of pregnancy are not useful as a prognostic tool for predicting pregnancies of high risk for preterm birth or a low birth weight.
U2 - 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2012.11.001
DO - 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2012.11.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 23253301
SN - 0378-3782
VL - 89
SP - 321
EP - 326
JO - Early Human Development
JF - Early Human Development
IS - 5
ER -