Fetal Growth Evaluation by Three-Dimensional Ultrasound

Study Summary

Fetal growth abnormalities, such as macrosomia and intrauterine growth retardation, are an important cause for increased perinatal mortality in the United States. Toward this end, accurate fetal weight determinations are very important for guiding prenatal care. Three-dimensional ultrasound is a recent technology that provides a new way to evaluate the fetus. This technique allows one to arbitrarily scan through a digital ultrasound volume dataset, visualize organs from different perspectives, and render anatomical features through computer processing. It also allows the retrospective measurement of distances and volumes even in the physical absence of the patient. A maximum of 400 pregnancies will be serially studied by three-dimensional ultrasound to characterize the growth of volume parameters such as the fetal thigh. This information will be applied to the Rossavik model of individualized growth assessment. The technique allows growth evaluation by comparing various ultrasound measurements or birth characteristics to the individual growth standards specified by the prediction model. Newborn infant body composition will also be studied within 48 hours of delivery. A separate cross-sectional study of up to 2,577 fetuses will allow development of birth weight prediction models based upon fetal volume measurements and further analysis of fetal growth abnormalities. Individual growth curve standards utilizing these volume parameters should allow one to evaluate deviations from expected growth or birth weight by using each fetus as its own control.

Conditions Studied

Study Locations (2)