A modified scheme for biophysical profile scoring.

A modified scheme for biophysical profile scoring based exclusively on real-time ultrasonographic examination is proposed and includes expanded scores of fetal movements and fetal breathing and only qualitative assessment of accelerated placental maturation, subjective ultrasonographic impression of oligohydramnios, and decreased fetal tone. This method was compared with the method of Vintzileos et al. in the first phase of this observational study and was found to have good correlation in different score categories. This method was then applied in the second phase of the study to 180 high-risk pregnancies to examine correlation with perinatal outcome variables. The relationship between results of the last total score and perinatal outcome variables shows good predictive values. Results of this preliminary study suggest that real-time ultrasonographic evaluation-based scoring of acute fetal events, namely, movements and breathing alone, may have an important role in perinatal management.