Determination of Sudanese fetal growth and development Using ultrasound

Abstract

This study was carried in the period first of March to 30th of June The study was a prospective cross–sectional research. It is intended to attract attention to the urgent need to have our national references in fetal biometric measurements. State of Khartoum was chosen as study area: the population is around 10 million, different faces, different tribes and ethic groups, a non homogenous population which represent the population of the Sudan. Patients of a central private clinic were chosen as sample of a high mixed population. Two rural samples were taken from Omdurman and from Mayo area. The study population is 300 pregnant ladies, three groups, one group 100 from each locality. Each group is of different gestation age ranging between 18 and 40 weeks. Samples were taken randomly any individual who satisfy the inclusion criteria was registered until the number was completed for each gestational age group. Biparietal diameter (BPD) and abdominal circumference were chosen to study fetal development because they are most usually measured to study the gestational age (GA) and the fetal weight (FW). BPD measurements were found to match the international reference closely that there is no significant difference using the double t-test. This may further confirm the head preservation theory, which estates that despite the nutritional deprivation, brain nutrition is maintained on expense of the other tissues. A significant difference between Sudanese fetal abdominal circumference (AC) and the international references is found in this study. This finding needs to be confirmed with further studies using both longitudinal and cross sectional studies with larger samples. AC measures mainly the size of the liver. This means that there is smaller glycogen storage, which might reflect an environmental effect on the Sudanese fetus of 3 weeks late in the store system, 40 wks AC is equal 37 wks AC in the reference sample. Active management of labour should be adopted in all obstetric units to avoid exhaustion of the already scarce energy stores in the fetus.