First-trimester nasal bone length in a normal Latin American population

Area of Science:

• Prenatal diagnosis
• Fetal medicine
• Medical imaging

Background:

• Nasal bone assessment is crucial in first-trimester aneuploidy screening.
• Subjectivity in determining nasal bone presence/absence can impact accuracy.
• Objective measurement of nasal bone length (NBL) offers a more reliable approach.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative data for nasal bone length (NBL) in first-trimester singleton fetuses.
• To provide a reference for identifying nasal bone hypoplasia in the Latin American population.
• To evaluate the feasibility and objectivity of NBL measurement for aneuploidy screening.

Main Methods:

• Nasal bone length (NBL) was measured in 1040 singleton fetuses during routine first-trimester sonographic examinations.
• The study included an unselected population of Latin American women.
• Measurements were correlated with gestational age (GA) and crown-rump length (CRL).

Main Results:

• Nasal bone length (NBL) demonstrated a linear increase with advancing gestational age (GA).
• A linear relationship was observed between NBL and crown-rump length (CRL).
• Median NBL values at 11, 12, and 13 weeks of gestation were 1.5 mm, 1.7 mm, and 1.9 mm, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Measurement of NBL is a feasible and objective method for first-trimester aneuploidy screening.
• Normative data for NBL in the Latin American population can aid in defining nasal bone hypoplasia.
• NBL measurement can be easily integrated into routine nuchal translucency assessments.