© 2013 by the American
Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
J Ultrasound Med 2013;
32:1215–1225 | 0278-4297
doi:10.7863/ultra.32.7.1215
Received: July 27, 2012/
Accepted: November 19, 2012
Fetal Size Charts for a Population From Cali, Colombia
Sonographic Measurements of Biparietal Diameter,
Head Circumference, Abdominal Circumference, and Femur Length
Authors
Freddy Briceño, MD, MSc, Humberto Restrepo, MD, MPH,
Ricardo Paredes, MD, Rodrigo Cifuentes,
MD, PhD
Source
Children’s
Heart Center Nevada, 3006 S Maryland Pkwy, Ste 690, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109,
USA. Email: mailto:hurescan@gmail.com.
Abstract
Objectives—To
create reference charts for fetal sonographic
biometric measurements in a population of pregnant women living in the third
largest city in Colombia and com-pare them with charts included in ultrasound
machines.
Methods—The data
were obtained from women with a single pregnancy and confirmed gestational
(menstrual) age between 12 and 40 weeks. All women were recruited specifically
for the study, and every fetus was measured only once for biparietal
diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Raw
data for each fetal measurement were modeled by fitting regression models
separately to estimate the mean and standard deviation as a function of
gestational age. Percentile curves were constructed for each measurement by
gestational age using these two regression models. We compared our mean z
scores with those expected by reference equations.
Results—Measurements were obtained for
792 fetuses. A cubic polynomial model was the best-fitted regression model to
describe the relationships between each fetal measurement and gestational age.
The standard deviation for each measurement was estimated by simple linear
regression as a function of gestational age. Comparison of our mean z scores
with those by reference equations showed significant differences in some fetal
measurements (P < .01).
Conclusions—We
present a set of reference percentile charts, tables, and formulas for fetal
biometric measurements from a Colombian population. We believe that our fetal
charts could be used nationwide in Colombia; nevertheless, a
national sample will con-tribute to their validation and promotion of
the development of Colombian fetal size charts.