Journal article
Fetal Anthropometric Features: A Postmortem Study of Fetuses After the Termination of Pregnancy for Psychosocial Reasons Between 12 and 20 Gestational Weeks.
- Muller Brochut AC 1 Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Taffe P 2 Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Piaget-Rossel R 2 Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- de Leval L 1 Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Rougemont AL 3 Division of Clinical Pathology, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
- 2018-11-20
Published in:
- Pediatric and developmental pathology : the official journal of the Society for Pediatric Pathology and the Paediatric Pathology Society. - 2019
fetal anthropometry
fetal autopsy
fetal growth
organ weights
reference ranges
second trimester
Abortion, Induced
Adolescent
Adult
Anthropometry
Autopsy
Female
Fetal Death
Fetal Development
Fetus
Gestational Age
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Organ Size
Pregnancy
Young Adult
English
INTRODUCTION
Reference ranges in fetal postmortem anthropometric data derive from heterogeneous studies and rely on data obtained after intrauterine fetal death and abortion, which may introduce bias in the reported fetal growth parameters. We report anthropometric findings in fetuses with the least variation due to cause of death or developmental anomalies.
METHODS
We analyzed fetuses after the termination of pregnancy for psychosocial reasons. The external measurements, X-ray dimensions, and body and organ weights were recorded as well as the placenta weight. A thorough and standardized postmortem analysis allowed the design of 2 different groups. Group 1 was composed of fetuses (1) born to mothers with no relevant obstetrical history, (2) no X-ray anomaly, (3) no abnormal autopsy findings, and (4) unremarkable placenta histology. An anomaly in any of these 4 entities moved the fetuses to Group 2. For reference ranges and graph construction, a well-designed statistical methodology was applied.
RESULTS
A total of 335 fetuses were analyzed during an 11-year period. Group 1 comprised 232 fetuses aged 12 to 20 gestational weeks, whereas 103 fetuses were considered in Group 2. Comparison between the 2 groups showed almost no differences. Only the Group 1 results were submitted to statistical analysis, and reference ranges and graphs were constructed.
CONCLUSIONS
To the best of our knowledge, we provide in this study the first anthropometric references established from almost normal fetuses, albeit for a limited fetal timeframe.
Reference ranges in fetal postmortem anthropometric data derive from heterogeneous studies and rely on data obtained after intrauterine fetal death and abortion, which may introduce bias in the reported fetal growth parameters. We report anthropometric findings in fetuses with the least variation due to cause of death or developmental anomalies.
METHODS
We analyzed fetuses after the termination of pregnancy for psychosocial reasons. The external measurements, X-ray dimensions, and body and organ weights were recorded as well as the placenta weight. A thorough and standardized postmortem analysis allowed the design of 2 different groups. Group 1 was composed of fetuses (1) born to mothers with no relevant obstetrical history, (2) no X-ray anomaly, (3) no abnormal autopsy findings, and (4) unremarkable placenta histology. An anomaly in any of these 4 entities moved the fetuses to Group 2. For reference ranges and graph construction, a well-designed statistical methodology was applied.
RESULTS
A total of 335 fetuses were analyzed during an 11-year period. Group 1 comprised 232 fetuses aged 12 to 20 gestational weeks, whereas 103 fetuses were considered in Group 2. Comparison between the 2 groups showed almost no differences. Only the Group 1 results were submitted to statistical analysis, and reference ranges and graphs were constructed.
CONCLUSIONS
To the best of our knowledge, we provide in this study the first anthropometric references established from almost normal fetuses, albeit for a limited fetal timeframe.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1177/1093526618812528
- PMID 30451574
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/144857
Statistics
Document views: 23
File downloads: