Ultrasonic prediction of fetal mass

A clinically accurate method for estimating fetal mass from fetal body parameters is reviewed. The abdominal circumference is first calculated from the anteroposterior and transverse diameters. This is used as an extra indicator of fetal age. By adding the biparietal diameter, these measurements are converted into fetal mass. From percentile tables the fetal mass at different stages of pregnancy and at term can then be predicted. This method was used on 101 private patients and the average error between actual and predicted mass was 210 g (6,5% of the birth mass)