MEAN DIFFERENCE OF TRANSCEREBELLAR DIAMETER ON ULTRASOUND IN THIRD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY: ANTONYMOUS INDICATOR OF GROWTH RETARDATION

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To determine the mean difference of Trans cerebellar diameter between normal and growth restricted fetuses as an antonymous indicator of growth retardation and gestational age.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional study

STUDY PLACE AND DURATION: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology in collaboration of Department of Radiology, Sir Syed Hospital Karachi, a private tertiary care center. Over six months from 15^th June 2016 to 15^th December 2016.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Total 120 pregnant women were recruited in the study referred for ultrasound scan between 28-40 weeks of gestation during the antenatal period (60 normal fetuses and 60 growth restricted fetuses) were included. All the observations included maternal age, parity, history of any medical disorder, gestational age, last menstrual period, ultrasonographic findings (i.e. Normal growth or IUGR) and trans cerebellar diameter were recorded on proforma. SPSS version 20.0 was used for data analysis. All continuous response variables like maternal age, gestational age, parity and trans cerebellar diameter were presented as Mean ± SD. Unpaired T-test was applied to see mean difference of maternal age, parity, gestational age, trans cerebellar diameter between normal and growth restricted fetuses.  

RESULTS:

Overall mean maternal age was 28.61±4.72 years and mean gestational age was 33.8±2.93 weeks. Mean trans cerebellar diameter of fetus by scan of Normal group was 34.40±3.70 cm which was significantly higher with the mean trans cerebellar diameter 32.93±2.47 cm of IUGR group (p=0.012), particularly for the gestational age group 37-40 weeks and strong positive correlation positive correlation between gestational age and TCD (r=0.892).

CONCLUSION:

Measurement of TCD with expert hands is an antonymous indicator of growth retardation with regards to strong correlation between TCD & GA and mean difference of TCD of normal growth versus intrauterine growth restricted fetuses, particularly in gestational age group 37-40 weeks.

KEYWORDS: Trans cerebellar diameter, growth retardation, gestational age, biometric measurement, ultrasound.