engleski

Fetal transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference ratio in assessing fetal size

Objective: To test the usefulness of the fetal transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference (TCD/AC) ratio in predicting known small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) infants. Method: The relationship between fetal TCD and AC throughout the second half of pregnancy was investigated in 635 well‐dated, normal pregnancies and examined with regard to gestational age and infant birth weight percentiles. Results: One hundred eighteen (19%) fetuses were excluded due to inadequate visualization of the fetal cerebellum. A strong correlation was noted between gestational age determined by the last menstrual period and both fetal TCD (r2 = 0.91338) and AC (r2 = 0.89361) in fetuses with birth weights between the 10th and 90th percentiles (n = 407 ; mean 14.4, S.D. 1.2). Although the TCD/AC ratio showed a poor correlation with gestational age (r2 = 0.15788), a slight increase was noted during gestation. A TCD/AC ratio greater than 15.5 was present in 80% of SGA infants when measurements were performed within 1 week of delivery. Conclusion: Fetal TCD/AC ratio as a gestational age‐independent method could improve diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in the early detection of fetal growth abnormalities.

transverse cerebellar diameter/abdominal circumference ratio ; intrauterine growth retardation ; ultrasonography ; antenatal care ; small‐for‐gestational‐age infants

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