ArticleThe Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology2026
Impact of a Routine Third Trimester Ultrasound Policy on Obstetric, Neonatal and Service Delivery Outcomes in an Australian Tertiary Centre.
Article in The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundRoutine third trimester ultrasound scans have been introduced in several maternity centres to increase detection of fetal growth disorders and improve perinatal outcomes.
aimsTo assess changes in obstetric and neonatal outcomes and service delivery following implementation of a routine third trimester ultrasound policy in a tertiary hospital in Australia. MATERIALS AND
methodsA single-centre retrospective cohort study was conducted comparing a pre-policy cohort that received ultrasound scans measuring biometry and fetal Dopplers when deemed clinically necessary during the third trimester with a post-policy cohort in which all pregnant women were offered an ultrasound at 35-37 weeks gestation. Results of the ultrasound were communicated to the obstetric team. Primary study outcomes were changes to service delivery, obstetric and neonatal outcomes and detection of fetal growth abnormalities. Differences in proportions were compared using the chi-squared test.
resultsIn the pre-policy cohort, there were 4826 singleton deliveries ≥ 35 weeks gestation and 34% of these women received a third trimester scan, compared to 4499 deliveries in the post-policy cohort in which 81% received a scan. There was a statistically significant increase in detection of LGA fetuses from 27% to 43% but no significant change in SGA detection or preterm birth rates post policy implementation. Early term births (37-38 + 6 weeks) increased (26.9% vs. 31.2%; p < 0.001) along with induction of labour (33.5% vs. 38.2%; p < 0.001). There was no decrease in stillbirths or adverse neonatal outcomes.
conclusionThe benefits of implementing routine third trimester scans in 'real-world' clinical practice remain unclear given these findings.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.