PLACENTAL THICKNESS IN THIRD TRIMESTER PREGNANCY AND ITS CORRELATION WITH ESTIMATED FETAL WEIGHT ON ULTRASONOGRAPHY
Shah P.K.*, Gupta M.K., Bhattarai M., Mishra N. and Sah S.K.
ABSTRACT
Background: Placental disease has been shown to be the most clinically relevant of all potential underlying processes that may result in intrauterine growth retardation. Studies have shown that diminished placental size precedes to fetal growth restriction. Knowledge of normal placental size and estimation of accurate fetal weight is always rewarding. In this study we aimed to evaluate placental size and fetal birth weight and to analyse weather placental size is important factor that determine fetal birth weight. Methods: The hospital-based cross-sectional study was be carried out for 6 months in the Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging of BPKIHS among singleton normal pregnancy in third trimester (27-40 weeks). The subjects undergone obstetric USG and findings (placental thickness and fetal weight) were noted in a structured proforma. The Pearson’s Correlation (r value) was carried out to show the relation between the placental thickness in mm and weight of foetus in grams. Results: The mean placental thickness among enrolled subjects was 38.9±0.8 mm. The mean fetal weight among study subjects using fetal parameters on USG was 2674.4±482.5 grams. The Pearson correlation analysis of subjects at 31-40 weeks of gestational age showed a very strong relationship between fetus weight and thickness of placenta (r=0.774). Percentage of variability in the fetal weight (in grams) estimation (R2) by Placental thickness (mm) was 60.0%. β1 was 2.4E-3, which indicates that change in 1 mm of Placental thickness will lead to 60.0 gm change in fetal weight. Conclusion: Placental thickness measured at the level of umbilical cord insertion can be used as a sonographic indicator in the assessment of fetal weight in singleton pregnancies.
Keywords: Fetal growth, fetal weight, Placental thickness, third trimester pregnancy, ultrasonography.
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