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The neonatal bisacromial diameter: a prenatal sonographic evaluation
H N Winn1, W Holcomb, J B Shumway
1Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Management, St. Louis University, Missouri, USA.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Fetal chest circumference is the best ultrasound predictor for neonatal bisacromial diameter (shoulder width). This finding aids in assessing fetal shoulder development and predicting birth size.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Fetal Medicine
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Accurate estimation of fetal shoulder diameter is crucial for managing labor and delivery.
- Neonatal bisacromial diameter (BAD) is a key indicator of shoulder girth.
- Existing fetal ultrasonographic parameters require evaluation for their correlation with neonatal BAD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the fetal ultrasonographic parameter that best correlates with the neonatal bisacromial diameter (BAD).
- To establish a reliable method for predicting neonatal shoulder dimensions prenatally.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 54 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies.
- Ultrasound measurements of six fetal biometric parameters: chest, abdomen, head, arm, and thigh circumferences, and estimated fetal weight.
- Comparison of fetal parameters with the measured neonatal bisacromial diameter (BAD).
Main Results:
- Fetal chest circumference demonstrated the strongest correlation with neonatal bisacromial diameter (r = 0.67, p = 0.003).
- Fetal arm circumference was the second-best predictor (r = 0.59, p = 0.03).
- Other measured parameters showed weaker correlations.
Conclusions:
- Fetal chest circumference is a superior ultrasonographic predictor of neonatal bisacromial diameter.
- This finding can improve prenatal assessment of fetal shoulder size and aid in obstetric management.
- Ultrasound measurement of fetal chest circumference offers a valuable tool for predicting neonatal shoulder dimensions.