Combined first-trimester screening for preterm small-for-gestational-age infants: Australian multicenter clinical feasibility study.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the performance of the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) first-trimester competing-risks screening model for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) fetuses requiring delivery at < 37 weeks' gestation, in a large cohort of women receiving maternity care in Australia.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from a cohort of women attending one of two private multicenter fetal medicine practices for first-trimester screening for preterm pre-eclampsia (PE), defined as PE requiring delivery before 37 weeks' gestation. Risk for preterm SGA, defined as SGA requiring delivery before 37 weeks, was calculated but was not disclosed to the patient or referring physician. Screening data were matched to obstetric outcomes. The primary outcome was the efficacy of the FMF screening model in assessing the risk of preterm SGA. The potential effect on identifying other adverse pregnancy outcomes was also assessed.

Results: During the study period, 22 841 women with a singleton pregnancy underwent combined first-trimester screening for preterm PE. These data were compared with those of 301 721 women in the state of Victoria with a singleton pregnancy who did not undergo screening during the study period. Calculation of the risk for preterm SGA identified 3030 (13.3%) pregnancies as high risk. The sensitivity of the model was 48.6% (95% CI, 41.0-56.2%), specificity was 87.0% (95% CI, 86.6-87.5%) and positive and negative predictive values were 2.9% (95% CI, 2.7-3.1%) and 99.5% (95% CI, 99.4-99.6%), respectively. Pregnancies at high risk for preterm SGA were also more likely to have preterm PE (risk ratio (RR), 2.28 (95% CI, 1.72-3.03)) and preterm birth (RR, 1.46 (95% CI, 1.32-1.63)), compared with unscreened pregnancies. Pregnancies at low risk for preterm SGA were less likely to result in a stillbirth (RR, 0.64 (95% CI, 0.47-0.86)) compared with unscreened pregnancies.

Conclusion: Combined first-trimester screening for preterm SGA shows moderate screening efficacy and therefore could help to inform pregnancy management and improve antenatal resource allocation. © 2025 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.