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Am J Perinatol 2014; 31(03): 231-236
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1345260
Original Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Prenatal Midtrimester Fetal Long Bone Measurements and the Prediction of Small-for-Gestational-Age Fetuses at Term

Paul D. Speer
1   Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
,
Timothy Canavan
1   Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
,
Hyagriv N. Simhan
2   Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
,
Lyndon M. Hill
1   Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

01 December 2012

19 March 2013

Publication Date:
20 May 2013 (online)

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Abstract

Objective To determine if the length of fetal long bones (LB) at mid-trimester ultrasound is predictive of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborns at term delivery.

Methods Retrospective evaluation of 6,781 women between 18 and 24 weeks' gestation at Magee-Womens Hospital (MWH). Gestational age (GA) was confirmed by first- or second-trimester ultrasound and patient's last menstrual period. Data were accrued from the institutional database at MWH. LB measurements were normalized to GA at the time of the ultrasound. The ratio was correlated with the probability of delivering an SGA newborn at term.

Results In all, 583 women were identified with an SGA newborn (8.6%). LB-to-GA ratios were associated with the probability of delivering an SGA newborn at term (p < 0.001). There was no single LB that proved to be superior in predicting an SGA newborn.

Conclusion There is a significant association between LB-to-GA ratio at midtrimester and the probability of SGA at term.

Keywords

femur length - ultrasound - small for gestational age

Notes

Presented at 2010 American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Annual Convention, San Diego, California, United States, March 24–27, 2010.


 

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