Normal fetal growth pattern in a Nigerian population

The objective of this study was to establish normal reference range values for gestational age-specific fetal weights for normal pregnancies in our population. A longitudinal prospective assessment of fetal weight in healthy pregnant women was carried out. The subjects were recruited at 20 or 22 weeks' gestation and concluded at 40 or 42 weeks' respectively. The numerical data were analysed on an IBM personal systems 2 computer with statistical and graphical packages. From a mean of 407.27 g at 20 week gestation, the fetal weight progressively increased to 3630.00 g at 42 weeks' gestation. There were two growth spurs; 2830 weeks' and 3436 weeks' gestation, respectively. Gestational age-specific reference range values of fetal weight has been derived for our population. The 5th and 95th centiles should be taken as the lower and upper limits of normal, respectively.