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Sonographic measurement of the umbilical cord and fetal anthropometric parameters
1The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kantonsspital, Münsterlingen, Switzerland.
Objective:
To determine reference ranges for the diameter and the cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord during pregnancy and to determine if umbilical cord morphometry is related to fetal size.
Methods:
A prospective cross-sectional study was designed to assess the sonographic cross-sectional diameter and area of the umbilical cord. The sonographic umbilical cord measurements were obtained in a plane adjacent to the insertion of the cord into the fetal abdomen. Nomograms for the umbilical cord diameter and area were computed. Fetal biometry included: biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Polynomial regression analysis was conducted.
Results:
Five hundred and fifty seven patients were included into the study. The regression equation for the umbilical cord diameter (y) according to gestational age (x) was y=-10.0563+1.4265x+0.0194x2 and for the umbilical cord area (y') was y'=91.6-3.3x+0.03x2-0.00007x3. A significant relationship was found between umbilical cord measurements and fetal anthropometric parameters.
Conclusion:
Reference ranges for umbilical cord diameter and area have been generated. The sonographic diameter and cross-sectional area of the umbilical cord increase as a function of gestational age and both diameter and area correlate with fetal size.