Razi Journal of Medical Sciences

Pregnancy and delivery are great experiences in a woman’s life. Many risk factors for fetus may harm mother and increase mothers’ mortality and morbidity. The most important factor related to neonatal mortality and morbidity is weight, therefore, there is no doubt over importance of recognizing fetal weight and its control during prenatal period. According to the studies and observations, there is an obvious and direct relationship between mothers’ fundal height, abdominal circumference, body mass index and infant weight. The present study was undertaken to determine the relationship between these three factors separately with infant weight and finally all three together. Also, the effect of age, occupation, mother’s previous gravidity, parity and abortions, gestational age, mother’s height and weight, mother’s weight and body mass index gain, presentation, infant’s sex, height, head and chest circumference, age and the weight of previous baby on these relationships were also evaluated. In this correlational study 1003 out of 1200 pregnant women who referred to delivery section of Be’sat and Shahid Fayazbakhsh Hospitals were selected and a checklist regarding pre and post-natal delivery was filled. The results indicated that there was a significant relationship between fundal height and infant weight with regression 0.723(t=33.133, P=0.000), abdominal circumference and infant weight with regression 0.530(t=19.770, P=0.000), body mass index and infant weight with regression 0.25(t=8.118, P=0.000) and between fundal height, abdominal circumference, body mass index and infant weight with regression 0.756(t1=23.94, P1=0.000), t2=10.58, P2=0.000), t3=-6.976, P3=0.000). Based on line equation, the relationship between mothers’ fundal height, abdominal circumference, body mass index and infant weight showed an error of less than 500 gr with 94.2% sensitivity, so this method can be used to estimate clincial fetal weight.