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The cost-effectiveness of universal late-pregnancy screening for macrosomia in nulliparous women: a decision-analysis

Wastlund, D; Moraitis, AA; Thornton, JG; Sanders, J; White, IR; Brocklehurst, P; Smith, G; (2019) The cost-effectiveness of universal late-pregnancy screening for macrosomia in nulliparous women: a decision-analysis. BJOG , 126 (10) pp. 1243-1250. 10.1111/1471-0528.15809. Green open access

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To identify the most cost-effective policy for detection and management of fetal macrosomia in late-stage pregnancy. DESIGN: Health economic simulation model. SETTING: All English NHS antenatal services. POPULATION: Nulliparous women in the third trimester treated within the UK NHS. METHODS: A health economic simulation model was used to compare long-term maternal-fetal health and cost outcomes for two detection strategies (universal ultrasound scanning at approximately 36 weeks of gestation versus selective ultrasound scanning), combined with three management strategies (planned caesarean section versus induction of labour versus expectant management) of suspected fetal macrosomia. Probabilities, costs and health outcomes were taken from literature. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Expected costs to the NHS and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained from each strategy, calculation of net benefit and hence identification of most cost-effective strategy. RESULTS: Compared with selective ultrasound, universal ultrasound increased QALYs by 0.0038 (95% CI 0.0012-0.0076), but also costs by £123.50 (95% CI 99.6-149.9). Overall, the health gains were too small to justify the cost increase given current UK thresholds cost-effective policy was selective ultrasound coupled with induction of labour where macrosomia was suspected. CONCLUSIONS: The most cost-effective policy for detection and management of fetal macrosomia is selective ultrasound scanning coupled with induction of labour for all suspected cases of macrosomia. Universal ultrasound scanning for macrosomia in late-stage pregnancy is not cost-effective.

Type: Article
Title: The cost-effectiveness of universal late-pregnancy screening for macrosomia in nulliparous women: a decision-analysis
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.15809
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.15809
Language: English
Additional information: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: Economic modelling, health economics, macrosomia, pregnancy, screening, third-trimester, ultrasound
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Inst of Clinical Trials and Methodology
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > UCL EGA Institute for Womens Health
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10076185
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