Premium
Practicability of Ultrasonography for Assessing Fetal Age and Weight in Early Pregnancy
Author(s) -
Mercer Jack P.,
Brenner William E.,
Bolan Jean C.,
Dingfelder James R.,
Edelman David A.,
Staurovsky Linda G.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
international journal of gynecology and obstetrics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.895
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1879-3479
pISSN - 0020-7292
DOI - 10.1002/j.1879-3479.1976.tb00074.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , fetus , obstetrics , gestational age , ultrasound , crown rump length , pregnancy , fetal weight , in utero , ultrasonography , abortion , gynecology , radiology , first trimester , genetics , biology
Mercer, J. P., Brenner, W. E., Bolan, J. C., Dingfelder, J. R., Edelman, D. A. and Staurovsky, L. G. (Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, and International Fertility Research Program, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA). Practicability of ultrasonography for assessing fetal age and weight in early pregnancy . Int J Gynaecol Obstet 14 : 401–406, 1976. This study was conducted to evaluate (1) the feasibility and accuracy of the B‐Scan technique for measuring biparietal diameter (BPD) in utero, (2) the accuracy of the B‐Scan technique for predicting fetal age and weight, and (3) parameters of fetal growth in pregnancies of less than 21 weeks’ gestation. Forty‐one subjects underwent diagnostic ultrasonography before induction of therapeutic abortion with Prostaglandin F 2α . Following abortion, fetal crown‐to‐rump length (CRL), crown‐to‐heel length (CHL), BPD, and fetal weight were measured directly. After 13 menstrual weeks’ gestation the BPD could be accurately measured by ultrasound. The relationship of BPD to gestational age and fetal weight and the indices of fetal growth as measured by the CRL and CHL were established. It is concluded that ultrasound is a useful adjuvant to clinical assessment of fetal age and weight in patients from 13 to 21 menstrual weeks’ gestation.