A preliminary morphometric study of Ghanaian foetal parameters for size and age estimation

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Date
August, 2016
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Abstract
Ultrasonographic foetal biometry has proven to be a reliable tool in the correct estimation of gestational age and assessment of foetal growth. The choice of a reference chart is critical to the proper assessment of foetal biometry due to observed racial differences. Therefore this study was designed to establish foetal biometric standards in Ghanaians. A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted using a total of 374 pregnant women with known last menstrual period from the Sunyani Municipal Hospital and the Suntreso Government Hospital from October 2015 to March 2016. Measurements of crown-rump length, biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length were obtained via transabdominal sonography. Results of the present study provide for the first time detailed baseline data on foetal biometry in Ghana and show that there is significant disparity between gestational age estimated by the last menstrual period and ultrasound. Head circumference was the best parameter in estimating gestational age in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy with coefficient of determination (R2) of 96.6% and 84.1% respectively. Combinations of head circumference or biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference and femur length in the third trimester increased the R2 to 90 or 90.5%. Biparietal diameter was a good predictor of gestational age in the third trimester than previously reported in the literature suggesting normal cephalic indices in the present population. Statistically significant differences in foetal biometry exist between the present population and the American, British and Chinese populations in the literature. This study provides preliminary baseline data for the estimation of gestational age and assessment of foetal growth by sonographers and obstetricians.
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A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Human Anatomy and Cell Biology in the Department of Anatomy, School of medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences,
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