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Early development of the abdominal wall, stomach and heart from 7 to 12 weeks of gestation: a longitudinal ultrasound study
Author(s) -
Blaas H.G.,
EikNes S. H.,
Kiserud T.,
Hellevik L. R.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ultrasound in obstetrics and gynecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.202
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1469-0705
pISSN - 0960-7692
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-0705.1995.06040240.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestation , stomach , abdominal cavity , fetus , ultrasound , umbilical cord , anatomy , abdominal wall , surgery , pregnancy , radiology , biology , genetics
The purpose of this ultrasound study was to describe longitudinally the normal embryonic development in vivo. Twenty‐nine healthy pregnant women were examined five times each with transvaginal ultrasound between 7 and 12 weeks of gestation measured from the lust menstrual period. Structures such as the midgut herniation into the umbilical cord, the stomach and the heart were recognized and measured. It was possible to identify the physiological midgut herniation during weeks 7–8. It was always present from 8.5 to 10.5 weeks. At 12 completed weeks, the gut was retracted into the abdominal cavity for all the fetuses. We visualized the stomach in nine embryos (31%) during week 8, in 22 embryos (76%) before 10 weeks, and in all fetuses before 11 weeks. The heart rate increased rapidly to a mean of 175 beats per minute (bpm) at the beginning of week 9. Thereafter it decreased slowly to a mean of 166 bpm out 12 weeks. The mean heart diameter was 22% of the crown‐rump length at 7 weeks, 17% at 9 weeks and only 13% at 12 weeks. Copyright © 1995 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology