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

Paul D. Speer; Timothy Canavan; Hyagriv N. Simhan; Lyndon M. Hill

doi:10.1055/s-0033-1345260

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

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

¹Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

,

Timothy Canavan

¹Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

,

Hyagriv N. Simhan

²Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

,

Lyndon M. Hill

¹Division of Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

› Author Affiliations

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

Full Text

References

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