On the use of an intrauterine growth curve corrected for maternal height and weight

Abstract

Diagnostic requirements of fetal malnutrition brought into existence several intrauterine growth curves. The etnical and socioeconomical differences among populations do not allow us to use curves worked out in developed countries. The precarious records concerning pre-natal care and weight at birth hinder any attempt to build our own curves. In this paper the authors reveal the usefulness of Tanner and Thomson's intrauterine growth curve as it introduces a height and weight correction factor at the 20th week of pregnancy. It is possible to conclude by the results obtained that Tanner and Thomson's curve can be very easily employed in healthy pregnant women at the S. Paulo University School of Public Health's Health Center "Geraldo de Paula Souza".