The normal growth of the common iliac arteries in human fetuses - an anatomical, digital and statistical study

The present study was carried out to compile normative data for dimensions of the common iliac arteries at varying gestational ages.

We used anatomical dissection, digital-image analysis (system of Leica QWin Pro 16) and statistical analysis (Student T test, one-way ANOVA, post-hoc RIR Tukey test, and regression analysis) to examine the increase in length (mm), proximal external diameter (mm), and volume (mm³) of the common iliac arteries in 124 (60 males, 64 females) spontaneously aborted human fetuses aged 15-34 weeks.

Neither sex nor right-left significant differences were found (P>0.05). The length ranged from 4.76 ± 1.05 to 15.38 ± 1.60 mm on the right, and from 4.92 ± 1.33 to 14.91 ± 1.25 mm on the left, according to the linear functions y=-3.598+0.585 × Age ± 1.522 (R²=0.83) and y=-3.107+0.554 × Age ± 1.444 (R²=0.83). The proximal external diameter increased from 0.66 ± 0.19 to 2.30 ± 0.42 mm on the right, and from 0.66 ± 0.14 to 2.16 ± 0.42 mm on the left, according to the quadratic models y=1.392-0.110 × Age + 0.004 × Age² ± 0.285 (R²=0.77) and y=1.283-0.099 × Age + 0.004 × Age² ± 0.238 (R²=0.81). The volumes were increasing from 1.93 ± 1.74 to 66.95 ± 29.31 mm³ on the right, and from 1.91 ± 1.65 to 56.86 ± 25.17 mm³ on the left, given by the quadratic functions: y=99.69-10.60 × Age+0.28 7 × Age² ± 14.40 (R²=0.67) and y=82.62-8.86 × Age + 0.242 × Age² ± 11.60 (R²=0.71).

The common iliac arteries grow linearly in length, and parabolically in both diameter and volume. The right common iliac artery constitutes a predominant vessel in relation to its length, external diameter and volume. The morphometric data on the common iliac arteries may serve as a useful reference in the prenatal diagnosis and monitoring of congenital aorto-iliac abnormalities.