For Referring Doctors
New Fetal Growth Charts
Until recently we have been in a suboptimal situation when it comes to expressing an EFW in terms of a percentile that is relevant to our population. We have had access to fetal weight charts from foreign populations, or birth weight charts from an Australian population, but not the ideal combination of a fetal weight chart based on an Australian population.
Recently, however, the development of a new fetal weight chart based on Hadlock proportionality and GROW (Gardosi) methodology adapted to the Australian population using Nepean Hospital data as per Mikolajczyk et al., has offered a worthy solution. This chart, referred to as the ‘Australian Fetal Weight Chart’, has been supported at meetings of the Australian Association of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasonologists (AAOGU) and Victorian Obstetric Sonologists (VOS) groups, and is believed to offer a more realistic set of normal range curves. Two of the tertiary obstetric hospitals in Melbourne, The Mercy Hospital for Women and Monash Health, along with many private ultrasound practices, have recently adopted this new chart. The Royal Women's Hospital is currently reviewing growth charts, but in the meantime is using a Hadlock growth chart which is quite similar to the new chart. We are phasing in the new chart at Women’s Ultrasound Malvern now. The new chart is much more sensitive at detecting IUGR around the 26-34 week range, and an audit at Monash Health has shown that the EFW percentiles correlate very closely with newborn weight percentiles. We are expecting, therefore, an increase in scans reporting IUGR early in the third trimester. The EFW percentile will now also better align with the individual biometry measurements. You can download a copy of the Australian Fetal Weight Chart by clicking on the chart below.
Referrals
We have printed A4 referral forms and A5 referral pads with the location and map of the of Women’s Ultrasound Malvern sites. Please telephone us on 03 9509 8811 (Cabrini) or 03 8521 5888 (Clayton), or fax us a request on 03 95098711 (Cabrini) or 03 8521 5889 (Clayton) or email us on reception@wum.com.au (Cabrini) or claytonreception@wum.com.au (Clayton) to request your choice of printed referral forms or pads. We would be pleased to personalise our referral forms by printing your practice and doctor details on the forms to save you time.
You can also download our A4 referral by clicking here or on the referral icon.
