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Biparietal diameter and femur length discrepancies: are maternal characteristics important?
We examined whether gestational age, maternal race or height can be used to explain discrepancies between biparietal diameter- and femur length-derived gestational ages by analyzing ultrasound scans from 8041 consecutively scanned, singleton pregnancies, using multiple regression analysis. While a consistent association was noted between differences of more than 3 weeks and less than 3 weeks and advancing gestational age, neither maternal height nor race were significantly related. We conclude that, first, discrepancies between gestational age by biparietal diameter and femur length are rare (5%) and, second, the presence of discrepancies should not be dismissed on the basis of maternal stature or race and should alert the clinician to possible abnormal fetal growth or development.
We examined whether gestational age, maternal race or height can be used to explain discrepancies between biparietal diameter- and femur length-derived gestational ages by analyzing ultrasound scans from 8041 consecutively scanned, singleton pregnancies, using multiple regression analysis. While a consistent association was noted between differences of more than 3 weeks and less than 3 weeks and advancing gestational age, neither maternal height nor race were significantly related. We conclude that, first, discrepancies between gestational age by biparietal diameter and femur length are rare (5%) and, second, the presence of discrepancies should not be dismissed on the basis of maternal stature or race and should alert the clinician to possible abnormal fetal growth or development.