Background

Although obstetric ultrasound is widely used at primary and secondary health levels for the detection of fetal macrosomia, uterine height can also be useful, especially in health contexts lacking technological equipment.

Objective

to determine the correlation between uterine height versus obstetric ultrasound and the diagnosis of fetal macrosomia.

Methods

descriptive, correlational study in non-diabetic mothers of full-term deliveries with macrosomic neonates, carried out in a public hospital in the Valley of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro rivers, Peru. The study variables: maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, number of pregnancies, gestational age at delivery, and route of delivery. Spearman's Rho and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used, both with 95% confidence intervals and 5% error.

Results

Fetal weight estimation and macrosomia correlated with uterine height (Pearson's R < 0.05), but not with obstetric ultrasound (Pearson's R > 0.05). Among the maternal characteristics associated with macrosomic neonates, pregestational obesity (Rho = 0.009) and multigestational condition (Rho = 0.04) were found. The estimation of fetal weight greater than 4000 g had a higher percentage of success (26.3%) by obstetric ultrasound.

Conclusion

obstetric ultrasound showed a higher correlation than uterine height with the diagnosis of fetal macrosomia.

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