Kutlugül YÜKSEL, İlker GÜNYELİ, Melike DOĞANAY, Mustafa UĞUR, Leyla MOLLAMAHMUTOĞLU

Ankara-Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To describe the relationships between gestational age and ult­ra­sonographic mea­su­re­ment of fetal foot length.

STUDY DESIGN: A total of 462 ultrasonographic measurements were performed to describe the re­la­ti­on­ship between gestational age and fetal foot length at the Zekai Tahir Burak Woman Health Edu­ca­ti­on and Research Hospital. The nomogram of fetal foot length versus gestational age between 15-42 we­eks was constructed from the fetuses of healthy singleton pregnancies. All patients had normal on­go­ing pregnancies and known last menstrual periods.

RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between fetal foot length and gestational age (r = 0.890, p < 0.0001). Our results suggested that fetal foot length was a reliable marker for use in the as­sess­ment of gestational age.

CONCLUSION: This parameter is particularly useful when other measurements do not accurately pre­dict gestational age, for example, dysplastic limb reduction and abnormal fetal head structure.

(Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med 2006; 12:000-000)

Key Words: Foot length, Gestational age, Ultrasound