# WHO fetal growth charts study Study · id `maternal:who-fetal-growth-charts-study` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public) > General information from published sources, not medical advice, and not reviewed by clinicians. Check the cited source before relying on anything here. The atlas's own text and curation may be reused under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/): credit the atlas, and do not use it commercially. See the atlas About page. Text quoted from a source stays under that source's own terms, given as the source's reuse\_basis. The atlas's reuse terms do not cover it. The downloads list each quotation with its source in third\_party\_quotations. Browse, life stage: Pregnancy Browse, care area: The baby before birth ## In plain language A multi-country study, funded in part by the World Health Organization, that followed low-risk pregnancies of women in ten countries with seven scheduled ultrasound scans, to build fetal growth charts for use worldwide. The charts cover head, abdomen, thigh bone and arm bone measures and estimated fetal weight. ## Technical summary Multinational prospective observational longitudinal study (PLoS Medicine 2017). 1,387 women took part; 7,924 sets of ultrasound measurements from 14 to 40 weeks were analysed by quantile regression. The authors report differences between countries (for example in birth weight) as well as pooled charts. One of three growth standards that do not agree (see the bottleneck page). Three published corrections were read and are summarised in the claim; they concern a figure and two tables, not the counts quoted. Only the abstract was read; the PMC full text of the original was not used. ## Key facts - Design: Multinational prospective observational longitudinal study of fetal growth in low-risk singleton pregnancies of women of high or middle socioeconomic status and without known environmental constraints on fetal growth. Participants had anthropometric and nutritional assessments and seven scheduled ultrasound examinations. - Phase: Not reported - Enrolled: 1387 women (the abstract: 1,387 participated in the study after 52 withdrew consent) (unknown count; The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-28118360-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14) - Started: Not reported - Primary completion: Not reported - Completion: Not reported - Countries: Argentina; Brazil; Congo - Kinshasa; Denmark; Egypt; France; Germany; India; Norway; Thailand (The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-28118360-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14) - Care setting: Not reported - Registry status: Not reported ## Claims, with the population each applies to ## Context: Fetuses of low-risk women of high or middle socioeconomic status, ten countries (WHO fetal growth charts study) Recipient: Fetal; Population: Fetuses of women with low-risk singleton pregnancies, of high or middle socioeconomic status and without known environmental constraints on fetal growth, with reliable last menstrual period and gestational age confirmed by crown-rump length at 8 to 13 weeks. 1,387 women took part. The women are the people recruited; the fetuses are the people measured.; Care setting: Centres in ten countries (setting type not stated in the abstract); Geography: Ten countries: Argentina, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Norway and Thailand; Life stage: Pregnancy; measurements taken at 14 to 40 weeks were selected for analysis; Gestational age: 14 weeks 0 days (98 days) to 40 weeks 0 days (280 days), measured at the time of measurement; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Seven scheduled ultrasound examinations during pregnancy; outcomes of pregnancy recorded ### In a multinational prospective longitudinal study of fetal growth in low-risk singleton pregnancies, centres in ten countries (Argentina, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Norway and Thailand) followed women of high or middle socioeconomic status without known environmental constraints on fetal growth. 1,387 women took part. 7,924 sets of ultrasound measurements were analysed to give longitudinal reference intervals for fetal head circumference, biparietal diameter, humerus length, abdominal circumference, femur length and estimated fetal weight. The authors report that growth of estimated fetal weight was asymmetric (a slightly wider spread among the lower percentiles early, shifting to a notably wider spread among the higher percentiles late in pregnancy), and that there were significant differences in growth between countries and in birth weight (India had significantly smaller neonates than the other countries, even after adjusting for gestational age). - Category: Description - Evidence stage: Observational - Certainty: Certainty not assessed - Applies to: Recipient: Fetal; Population: Fetuses of women with low-risk singleton pregnancies, of high or middle socioeconomic status and without known environmental constraints on fetal growth, with reliable last menstrual period and gestational age confirmed by crown-rump length at 8 to 13 weeks. 1,387 women took part. The women are the people recruited; the fetuses are the people measured.; Care setting: Centres in ten countries (setting type not stated in the abstract); Geography: Ten countries: Argentina, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Norway and Thailand; Life stage: Pregnancy; measurements taken at 14 to 40 weeks were selected for analysis; Gestational age: 14 weeks 0 days (98 days) to 40 weeks 0 days (280 days), measured at the time of measurement; Postnatal age: Not reported; Follow-up: Seven scheduled ultrasound examinations during pregnancy; outcomes of pregnancy recorded - Limitations: The cohort is selected on low risk and socioeconomic status, so the charts describe growth under favourable conditions, not every pregnancy. The abstract reports differences between countries as well as pooled charts. Three published corrections exist (PMIDs 28339475, 29194459 and 33411728) and were read: one says a computational error affected Fig 1, Table 12 and Table 13 (the percentile figure and the femur-length ratio tables), one republishes that correction to fix an erroneous image, and one says the title and caption of Table 12 do not match its table. The counts, country list and descriptions cited here come from the abstract and are not those tables, but the abstract's remark on the spread of estimated fetal weight was not re-checked against the corrected Fig 1. Only the abstract was read. - Last checked: 2026-10-14 - Source problem: a cited source is corrected. Check the sources before relying on this claim. - Sources: 1. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 1, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 2. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 1, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 3. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 2, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 4. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 2, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 5. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 4. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 6. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 8. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 7. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 10, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 8. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 11, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 9. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 11, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 10. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 12, fragment 1 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 11. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 12, fragment 2 of 2. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 12. Supports: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PubMed record (abstract and bibliographic data) from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14. The full text and the version of record were not read.) Locator: Abstract, METHODS AND FINDINGS, sentence 17. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:18:26Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: fef4f80ba7dca49a93b351cca22d726cff6c85571a2e50a63669751dfbff55c6. How it applies: PubMed abstract. 13. Background: Correction: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset article (a published correction), full-text XML from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14.) Locator: Body, paragraph 1, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:48:44Z. Source state: Corrected. Snapshot hash: f0c26991cc2cc46aacb035c0e2f14c8bb9511f3cb073a3de02b7b390ef3e9c20. How it applies: Frames the population or setting. Source page. 14. Background: Correction: The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight (Publication, edition PMC Open Access subset article (a published correction), full-text XML from NCBI E-utilities, retrieved 2026-10-14.) Locator: Body, paragraph 1, sentence 1. Retrieved 2026-10-14T18:48:45Z. Source state: Current. Snapshot hash: f66f3070c6c0f8bd52988026cb79915b8da949f687cd31888ea780a61ee89a5f. How it applies: Frames the population or setting. Source page. ## Connected pages - Builds fetal growth charts intended for worldwide use: Fetal development (`maternal:fetal-development`) - One of the funders named in the PubMed grant list (which also names the British Heart Foundation): World Health Organization (`maternal:who`) ## Provenance Content hash: 35598897529f247aae30482f6b82a7c11e89a183b67062f2e259c4c930c4c2ac Last substantive edit: 2026-10-14 Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14