Some fetal and pregnancy parameters in Nepal
Ulstein, M.; Rana, G.; Yangzom, K.; Gurung, R.; Karki, A.; Gurung, G.; Pradhan, U.
Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica 67(1): 47-52
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6349 PMID: 3176914 DOI: 10.3109/00016348809004167Document Number: 360708
The association between birthweight and gestational age was examined in 4600 singleton live births occurring at Patan Hospital (Kathmandu, Nepal) in 1983-86. Other parameters evaluated included fundal height in relationship to duration of pregnancy and hematocrit levels during pregnancy. The study results were then compared to similar data from Norway. At term, the median birth weight in Nepal in this series was 3010 grams for males and 2900 grams for females. Although the birthweights of Norwegian infants are consistently higher than those of Nepalese infants, this difference is most pronounced after the 36th week of pregnancy. Fundal height shows a steady, almost linear increase in Nepalese infants until the 37th week of pregnancy, at which point it slows down. In general, fundal height is lower in Nepalese than Norwegian women and this gap widens after 36 weeks of pregnancy. Finally, hematocrit values are generally lower in Nepalese women than Norwegian women, regardless of whether iron supplements are provided. Nepalese women further demonstrated a lack of hemoconcentration during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, indicating that maternal iron stores had been depleted. The findings of this study are useful for establishing standards for weight for gestational age, fundal height, and hematocrit values in relation to stage of pregnancy in hospital deliveries in Nepal. They suggest, moreover, that Nepalese women suffer from nutritional deficiencies that require further research.