Open AccessThree-dimensional ultrasonography using the VOCAL technique for estimation of reference range between 7 and 11weeks embryonic volume
Author(s) -
Hassan Mostafa Gaafar,
Ghada Abdel Fattah Abdel Moety,
Waleed El-Khayat
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
middle east fertility society journal/middle east fertility society journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.322
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 2090-3251
pISSN - 1110-5690
DOI - 10.1016/j.mefs.2012.12.006
Subject(s) - gestational age , medicine , crown rump length , obstetrics , regression analysis , pregnancy , linear regression , ultrasonography , fetus , stepwise regression , gynecology , first trimester , biology , surgery , statistics , mathematics , genetics
Objective: Accurate estimation of gestational age (GA) is the basis of vital decisions in pregnancy and hence its importance in obstetric management. This study tries estimating a reference range of 3D embryonic volume using the VOCAL technique for pregnancies between 7 and 11 weeks.Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study included 62 singleton normal uneventful pregnancies. All women were essentially sure of the date of last menstrual period. All women were submitted to 3D ultrasonographic examination with VOCAL technique to determine the embryonic volume. In addition the crown-rump length was measured. Regression analysis was performed to predict the gestational age from the fetal volume.Results: There was a strong positive correlation between embryonic volume and menstrual age, gestational age and crown-rump length (r = 0.919, 0.938 and 0.941, respectively). Power regression model produced R2 value of 0.838 with a regression equation (y = 52.22 + 6.5 x).Conclusion: This study demonstrated that embryonic/fetal volume is a good predictor of gestational age with a power regression equation (y = 52.22 + 6.5 x) for the period from 7 to 10 weeks + 6 days. We suggest using the embryo volume as an early evidence of growth restriction in high risk pregnancy