Prediction of fetal birthweight in Taiwanese women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension using an equation based on maternal characteristics

Authors: Liu, Ching-Ming; Chang, Shuenn-Dyh; Cheng, Po-Jen

Source: The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, Volume 34, Number 4, August 2008 , pp. 480-486(7)

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Abstract:

Aim: 

The purpose of the present study was to develop a method for predicting the birthweight of newborns in women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension based on maternal characteristics and pregnancy-related factors. Methods: 

A total of 661 consecutive pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension who delivered at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from 1994 to 2003 were included in the analysis. Multivariate regression formulas (Models I and II) were derived from maternal characteristics to predict low infant birthweight. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated and tested for these formulas. Results: 

The Model I formula was as follows:

Using a cut-off value of 2210 g, the equation predicts the occurrence of a low birthweight baby with 90.9% sensitivity. If higher specificity is required, increasing the cut-off value to 2488 g yields a specificity of 95.2%. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed an area under the curve of 93.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88 to 0.99) for low birthweight baby prediction in Model I. Conclusion: 

The results suggest that these regression formulas based on maternal characteristics may accurately predict low birthweight babies in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. The cut-off values were determined and cross-validated by ROC curve analysis.

Keywords: birthweight prediction; gestational hypertension; maternal characteristics; pre-eclampsia; Taiwanese women

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0756.2008.00813.x

Publication date: 2008-08-01

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