Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver

Background: Performing accurate estimated fetal weights (EFWs) is a critical skill developed in obstetrics residency training. Resident physicians are often the first to perform EFWs on obstetric patients when they enter care. Evaluating residents' accuracy in performing EFWs is crucial for ass...

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Main Authors: Kimberly Huynh, Alicia Lunardhi, Karren Lewis, Trevor Pickering, Hindi E. Stohl
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Mary Ann Liebert 2024-04-01
Series:Women's Health Reports
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Online Access:https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2023.0118
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author Kimberly Huynh
Alicia Lunardhi
Karren Lewis
Trevor Pickering
Hindi E. Stohl
author_facet Kimberly Huynh
Alicia Lunardhi
Karren Lewis
Trevor Pickering
Hindi E. Stohl
author_sort Kimberly Huynh
collection DOAJ
description Background: Performing accurate estimated fetal weights (EFWs) is a critical skill developed in obstetrics residency training. Resident physicians are often the first to perform EFWs on obstetric patients when they enter care. Evaluating residents' accuracy in performing EFWs is crucial for assessing their achievement in residency training milestones and providing patient care. Methods: As part of an educational initiative program between 2014 and 2020, postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) residents performed EFW measurements on 10 term (>37w0d) patients using ultrasound and Leopold's maneuver and 10 preterm (>24w0d and <37w0d) patients using ultrasound. Clinical characteristics, mode of delivery, and actual birthweights (BWs) were recorded for each patient. The accuracy of these estimates was evaluated using mixed-effect regression models. Results: Thirty-three residents, 1127 deliveries, and 1790 EFW measurements were evaluated. Overall, the percentage of residents with estimations within 10% of actual BW went up in PGY2 for Leopold's and ultrasound term births, but not for preterm ultrasound births. Maternal body mass index and actual BW were associated with absolute percentage estimation error. After adjusting for these variables, there was a statistically significant decrease in error between PGY1 and PGY2 for Leopold's method in term births; ultrasound (term and preterm) showed more modest reductions in error during PGY2. Discussion: Resident physicians have accurate estimates of EFWs early in their training, beginning in their first year of residency by both Leopold's maneuver and ultrasound. Furthermore, PGY2 residents performed better than PGY1 residents for Leopold's method.
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spelling doaj-art-64d63e10e3244108be15ce2a0c8f359e2025-08-20T03:09:55ZengMary Ann LiebertWomen's Health Reports2688-48442024-04-015118619210.1089/whr.2023.0118Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's ManeuverKimberly Huynh0Alicia Lunardhi1Karren Lewis2Trevor Pickering3Hindi E. Stohl4Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.Background: Performing accurate estimated fetal weights (EFWs) is a critical skill developed in obstetrics residency training. Resident physicians are often the first to perform EFWs on obstetric patients when they enter care. Evaluating residents' accuracy in performing EFWs is crucial for assessing their achievement in residency training milestones and providing patient care. Methods: As part of an educational initiative program between 2014 and 2020, postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) residents performed EFW measurements on 10 term (>37w0d) patients using ultrasound and Leopold's maneuver and 10 preterm (>24w0d and <37w0d) patients using ultrasound. Clinical characteristics, mode of delivery, and actual birthweights (BWs) were recorded for each patient. The accuracy of these estimates was evaluated using mixed-effect regression models. Results: Thirty-three residents, 1127 deliveries, and 1790 EFW measurements were evaluated. Overall, the percentage of residents with estimations within 10% of actual BW went up in PGY2 for Leopold's and ultrasound term births, but not for preterm ultrasound births. Maternal body mass index and actual BW were associated with absolute percentage estimation error. After adjusting for these variables, there was a statistically significant decrease in error between PGY1 and PGY2 for Leopold's method in term births; ultrasound (term and preterm) showed more modest reductions in error during PGY2. Discussion: Resident physicians have accurate estimates of EFWs early in their training, beginning in their first year of residency by both Leopold's maneuver and ultrasound. Furthermore, PGY2 residents performed better than PGY1 residents for Leopold's method.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2023.0118ultrasoundpostgraduate educationacademic medicineresidency trainingobstetrics
spellingShingle Kimberly Huynh
Alicia Lunardhi
Karren Lewis
Trevor Pickering
Hindi E. Stohl
Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
Women's Health Reports
ultrasound
postgraduate education
academic medicine
residency training
obstetrics
title Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
title_full Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
title_fullStr Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
title_full_unstemmed Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
title_short Are Junior Residents Accurate at Predicting Fetal Weight? An Analysis of Junior Residents' Performance of Estimated Fetal Weight Using Ultrasound and Leopold's Maneuver
title_sort are junior residents accurate at predicting fetal weight an analysis of junior residents performance of estimated fetal weight using ultrasound and leopold s maneuver
topic ultrasound
postgraduate education
academic medicine
residency training
obstetrics
url https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/whr.2023.0118
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