A retrospective study on the need of deriving ultrasonographical fetal gestational nomograms for fetal biometric parameters in the population of Udaipur Region

Abstract

Fetal gestational age is routinely calculated in sonography by the radiologists, with the dimensions of fetal biometric parameters, as the expectant mother may not remember the exact date of the last menstrual period. The expected date of delivery is then calculated accordingly and the antenatal period is managed consequently. Accurate fetal age estimation is of crucial importance for proper antenatal care in order to reduce infant mortality, and achieve the goal of delivering a healthy child. Various studies have been done to derive fetal nomograms for indigenous populations claiming that the Western data being used cannot be applied to their population. Therefore, need of deriving ultrasonographic fetal gestational nomograms for fetal biometric parameters (head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length) for the population of Udaipur in the northwestern region of India was investigated. Fetal sonography records of pregnant women in second and third trimesters were studied. The study derived fetal gestational nomograms for fetal head circumference, fetal abdominal circumference and fetal femur length for estimating the fetal age. These nomograms were compared with the standard nomograms of Hadlock et al. used by radiologists for the same parameters. No significant difference was found between the two, and it was concluded that the routinely used nomograms may be also used for the local population of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India.