Increased accuracy of fetal weight estimation with a gender-specific weight formula.

Objective: To test whether Schild's sex-specific formula for estimating fetal weight is more accurate than commonly used regression formulae.

Methods: The gender-specific formula and 10 widely used equations were evaluated in a group of 989 pregnancies. Each fetus underwent ultrasound examination with complete biometric parameters within 7 days before delivery.

Angiogenic growth factors in maternal and fetal serum in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction.

The present study was performed to compare serum concentrations of maternal and fetal angiogenic growth factors in IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and normal pregnancy at the time of delivery. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), PlGF (placental growth factor), sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), sKDR (soluble kinase domain receptor) and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor) were measured by ELISA in serum from a maternal peripheral vein, the umbilical vein and the umbilical arteries in 15 women with pregnancies complicated by IUGR and 16 controls (women with normal pregnancies). In IUGR, sFlt-1 was increased, and PlGF and sKDR were decreased, in both maternal serum and serum from the umbilical vein.