Fetal Growth Assessment and Perinatal Outcomes

Accurate assessment of fetal growth is central to modern obstetric care, informing the timing of interventions and monitoring intrauterine wellbeing. Conventional ultrasound biometry measures parameters such as head circumference, femur length and abdominal circumference to generate growth curves and estimate fetal weight. Deviations from expected growth trajectories may indicate small for gestational age (SGA) fetuses or fetal growth restriction (FGR), both of which carry heightened risks of stillbirth, neonatal morbidity and long-term health consequences. Advances in imaging technology, statistical modelling and artificial intelligence are refining growth standards, improving gestational dating and enabling early detection of pathological growth patterns. Integrating these developments with clinical protocols enhances decision making, supports resource-limited settings and contributes to global strategies for reducing perinatal mortality and morbidity.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A study has demonstrated end-to-end automation of fetal biometry and amniotic fluid volume assessment using deep learning applied to standard ultrasound images. Trained on a multi-ethnic dataset exceeding 170 000 images and prospectively validated in a consecutive cohort of over 170 pregnancies, the models achieved agreement with expert sonographers that exceeded typical intra- and inter-observer variability for head circumference, femur length and fluid indices. This approach promises to alleviate repetitive measurement tasks, expedite ultrasound workflows and improve accessibility of high-quality screening in low-resource environments.

Fetal Growth Assessment and Perinatal Outcomes publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in fetal growth assessment and perinatal outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Fetal biometry: Measurement of fetal anatomical structures via ultrasound to assess gestational progress.

Estimated fetal weight (EFW): Calculation of fetal mass from ultrasound dimensions using validated formulas.

Fetal growth restriction (FGR): Pathological condition in which a fetus fails to achieve its genetic growth potential, often due to placental insufficiency.

Small for gestational age (SGA): Descriptor for a fetus or neonate whose weight falls below the 10th percentile for its gestational age and sex.

Amniotic fluid index (AFI): Ultrasound-derived measure summing maximal vertical pockets of amniotic fluid to gauge intrauterine fluid volume.

References

1. Machine learning for accurate estimation of fetal gestational age based on ultrasound images. npj Digital Medicine (2023).
2. Fetal biometry and amniotic fluid volume assessment end-to-end automation using Deep Learning. Nature Communications (2023).
3. The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight. PLOS Medicine (2017).
4. FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) initiative on fetal growth: Best practice advice for screening, diagnosis, and management of fetal growth restriction. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (2021).