Estimationoffetal Age by Placenta Thickness in Second and Third Trimester using ultraSonography

Abstract

This study is across sectional descriptive study estimated gestational age by investigating placental thickness as a parameter for in normal singletone pregnancies in Sudanese women. 53Sudanese women with normal singletone pregnancies, who are attending in Eman and Alsadat centers. Women were studied by transAbdominal ultrasound between December, 2016 and February, 2017.sonography was carried out using ALOKA 500 ultrasound machine with 3.5MHZ transducer. Gestational age was estimated by bi parietal diameter (BPD) and femur length (FL). The composite average recorded while placental thickness was measured at the point of insertion of the umbilical cord. Mean placenta thickness with standard deviation was calculated for each gestational age. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the placenta thickness and gestational age while regression analysis yielded mathematical relationship between the placenta thickness and gestational age. Study found that; the maximum mean placenta thickness of 35.15 +9.22mm was recorded at 30 weeks gestation and there was a fairly linear increasing in mean placenta thickness with gestational age. Study concluded that; there was a significant and strong positive correlation between placenta thickness and gestational age. Study recommended that: Placenta thickness should be used in to estimation of fetal age in second and third trimesters of pregnancy.