Abstract
Objective This study aimed to evaluate which of five established norms should be used for sonographic
assessment of fetal head circumference (HC).
Study Design Cross-sectional study using pooled data from four maternal–fetal medicine practices.
Inclusion criteria were singleton fetus, gestational age 220/7 to 396/7 weeks, biometry measured, and fetal cardiac activity present. Five norms of HC were
studied: Jeanty et al, Hadlock et al, the INTERGROWTH-21st Project (IG-21st), the
World Health Organization Fetal Growth Curves (WHO), and the National Institutes of
Child Health and Human Development Fetal Growth Studies unified standard (NICHD-U).
The fit of our HC measurements to each norm was assessed by these criteria: mean z-score close to 0, standard deviation (SD) of z close to 1, low Kolmogorov–Smirnov D-statistic, high Youden J-statistic, close to
10% of exams >90th percentile, close to 10% of exams <10th percentile, and close to
2.28% of exams >2 SD below the mean.
Results In 23,565 ultrasound exams, our HC measurements had the best fit to the WHO standard
(mean z-score 0.10, SD of z = 1.01, D-statistic <0.01, J-statistic 0.83–0.94). The SD of the Jeanty reference
was much larger than all the other norms and our measurements, resulting in underdiagnosis
of abnormal HC. The means of the IG-21st and NICHD-U standards were smaller than the
other norms and our measurements, resulting in underdiagnosis of small HC. The means
of the Hadlock reference were larger than all the other norms and our measurements,
resulting in overdiagnosis of small HC. Restricting the analysis to a low-risk subgroup
of 4,423 exams without risk factors for large- or small-for-gestational age produced
similar results.
Conclusion The WHO standard is likely best for diagnosis of abnormal HC. The Jeanty (Chervenak)
reference suggested by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine had poor sensitivity
for microcephaly screening.
Key Points
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There are >30 norms for fetal HC.
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It is unknown which norm should be used.
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The WHO standard fits our data best.
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The Chervenak reference is not sensitive for microcephaly.
Keywords
fetal biometry - fetal microcephaly - growth references - growth standards - large-for-gestational
age - small-for-gestational age
