Evaluation of the INTERGROWTH-21st Fetal Growth Standards in the United Arab Emirates: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the use of recently published INTERGROWTH-21st (IG-21) fetal growth standards in United Arab Emirates native population. Method: This prospective cohort study analyzed fetal ultrasound measurements of head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length. Z-scores and percentiles of fetal and neonatal growth measurements were calculated using IG-21 and compared with a standard reference. Results: Measurements were performed in 120 pregnancies at a median gestational age of 25.8 weeks (range, 16 to 35). Thirteen out of 15 mean IG-21 Z-scores for all measurements remained between −0.5 and +0.5 at all gestational-ages. Actual standard deviations (SD) using IG-21 charts gave an acceptable SD (0.8 to 1.2) for 13 out of 15 measurements. The proportions of most antenatal measurements 90th and >97th percentiles were identical between standard and IG-21st charts. The median gestational age was 39 weeks (range, 29 to 41) and 14 (13%) were delivered by cesarean section. The mean z-scores of all biometric measurements were close to zero while the mean percentiles were close to the 50th percentile, thus, describing appropriately the neonatal growth parameters in our population. Conclusions: Fetal size in our population was comparable to the IG-21 standards. The IG-21 neonatal growth standards were more similar to that of the anticipated population distribution than to the standard charts. These preliminary results, if confirmed in a larger study in the UAE, would support use of IG-21 standards in UAE instead of the currently used standard charts.