The Relationship Between Fetal Prenasal Thickness and Birth Weight

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the effect of certain maternal and fetal features on fetal prenasal thickness, considering the correlation between prenasal thickness and subsequent birth weight. METHODS: This was a prospective longitudinal study. Uncomplicated pregnancies between 16-23 weeks of gestation seen at a perinatology outpatient clinic for fetal ultrasound examination between September 2019 - January 2020 were included. Demographic data and fetal prenasal thickness measurements were recorded. Pregnant women were followed until delivery. Data were evaluated with Pearson correlation analysis and linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 74 pregnant women were evaluated. The mean maternal age and fetal prenasal thickness was 29.5 +- 5.3 years and 3.2 +- 0.97 mm, respectively. In univariate analysis, maternal body mass index, age, fetal gender and parity were not significantly related with prenasal thickness. Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between gestational age and prenasal thickness (r = 0.484, p <0.001). There was no correlation between prenasal thickness and birth weight (r = 0.133, p = 0.258). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Prenasal thickness on second trimester ultrasound is positively correlated with gestational age, and this effect seems independent of parity, maternal body mass index, age, and fetal gender

Keywords

• antenatal ultrasound
• birth weight
• pregnancy
• prenasal thickness