Penile Length can be Estimated by the Foot-Length? Study in Human Fetuses with Neural Tube Defects

Area of Science:

• Fetal Development
• Human Anatomy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• No prior studies have compared penile and foot length in normal versus anencephalic fetuses.
• Anencephaly is a severe congenital anomaly affecting brain development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare penile length with foot length in fetuses with and without anencephaly.
• To investigate the correlation between penile dimensions and foot length.

Main Methods:

• A morphometric study was conducted on 32 normal and 13 anencephalic fetuses (11-22 weeks post-conception).
• Penile dimensions (free portion length/width, root length/width, total length) were measured using digital calipers and imaging software.
• Statistical analysis included Shapiro-Wilk tests and simple linear correlations.

Main Results:

• Total penile length showed a strong correlation with foot length in normal fetuses (r2=0.8505) and a moderate correlation in anencephalic fetuses (r2=0.6813).
• Penile body and root width increased significantly with fetal foot length in both groups.
• No significant differences in total penile length were observed between normal and anencephalic fetuses.

Conclusions:

• Foot size can be considered an indicator of penile size in human fetuses.
• A significant positive correlation exists between penile length and foot length during the second trimester of gestation.