The implications of introducing the symphyseal-fundal height-measurement. A prospective randomized controlled trial.
A total of 1639 women attending the antenatal clinic of Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, during 1986-1987 was randomized into a symphyseal fundal (SF)-group and a control group. The women in the SF-group had their fundal height measured from the 29th week until delivery. The measurements were used along with the other usual screening procedures. The SF-measurements were not found helpful in the prediction of small-for-gestational-age infants and no significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the number of interventions, additional diagnostic procedures, or the condition of the newborns.
There is not enough evidence to evaluate the use of symphysis-fundal height measurements during antenatal care.