Fetal nuchal translucency: is there an association with birthweight and neonatal wellbeing?

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between nuchal translucency (NT) values with birthweight and the wellbeing of the newborn.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study that included 508 patients made use of data on healthy full-term, singleton, live birth newborns in a university hospital between 2016 and 2018. The relationship between the NT multiple of the median (MoM) value and maternal body mass index, birthweight, sex, need for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and APGAR scores was evaluated. Similarly, the relationship between birthweight and NT MoM, and biochemical data in the first trimester was also evaluated.

Results: There was a positive correlation between NT and birthweight (p<0.001). The need for NICU admission increased (p=0.001), and APGAR 1st minute scores decreased (p=0.001) with increasing NT, and APGAR 5th minute scores remained unchanged (p=0.057).

Conclusion: The present study identified a positive correlation between first trimester NT and birthweight, and a negative correlation with the wellbeing of the neonate.