Fetal Biometry: Is it Same in African Population? Are There Racial Differences?

Abstract

Aim:Our study aims to investigate whether there is a difference between the African pregnant population at 14-42 weeks of gestation and standard ultrasonographic fetal biometric measurements.Methods:This study was carried out at Mogadishu Somali Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Training and Research Hospital, Hodan District, Mogadishu, Somalia from July 2018 to September 2018. Four hundred and eighty-six females at 14-42 weeks’ gestation were evaluated. Obstetrical ultrasound was done using a 3.5 MHz convex transducer on Toshiba Aplio XG Ssa-790a. Biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), femur length (FL), and abdominal circumference (AC) were identified and measured.Results:The median maternal age in the study sample was 26 years with the mode value of 30 years. The highest number of participants were in 38 weeks (31, 6.4%) and the lowest number of participants were in weeks 15 and 18 with 1 in each (0.2%). BPD gradually increased from a minimum of 26.0 mm at week 14 to a maximum of 95.9 mm. HC gradually increased from a minimum of 101.1 mm at week 14 to a maximum of 95.9 mm at week 42. AC increased gradually from a minimum of 76.6 mm at week 14 to a maximum of 369.2 mm at week 42. FL increased gradually from a minimum of 15.0 mm at week 14 to a maximum of 79.1 mm at week 42.Conclusion:The frequently used parameters of fetal biometry along with ultrasonographic appearance and measurements in our local population are in agreement with international studies except for HC which was lower than the Hadlock’s measurement by an average of 7.8 mm.

Keywords

• fetal biometry
• biparietal diameter
• head circumference
• femur length
• abdominal circumference
• african population
• ethnicity