Prediction of term birth weight in Hispanic women using an equation based on maternal characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: To test the accuracy of a birth weight prediction equation based on maternal characteristics in Hispanic women.

STUDY DESIGN: A previously published birth weight prediction equation based on maternal and pregnancy-specific characteristics was used to predict birth weights for 283 normal Caucasian women of Hispanic ethnicity. The accuracy of these birth weight estimates was compared to a similarly selected group of 233 non-Hispanic Caucasian gravidas who were located 2500 miles away.

RESULTS: Birth weight predictions for Hispanic women were accurate to within +/- 8.4% (+/- 287 g). The percentages of birth weights predicted to within +/- 15 and +/- 10% of actual values were 84 and 68%, respectively. These results were no different than those that were obtained for non-Hispanic Caucasian gravidas.

CONCLUSIONS: A previously derived birth weight prediction equation based on maternal and pregnancy-specific characteristics alone successfully predicts term birth weight in normal Hispanic gravidas to within +/- 8.4% (+/- 287 g).