The Relation between Placental Thickness and Volume and Birth Weight at Term Pregnancy

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to assess the value of using ultrasound measurement of placental volume and thickness as a predictor of actual neonatal birth weight. This prospective observational study was conducted at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital and included 50 pregnant women who attended at labor and delivery ward of Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital The women were on the average 28 years old, ± 5 years with an average of gestational age of 39 wks ± 0.8 wks taking in consideration that the patient had accurate gestational dating for a singleton viable pregnancy and the actual birth weight at delivery is available and excluding multiple pregnancy, Intrauterine fetal death, Stillborn babies, known congenital fetal anomalies, and patients with medical disorders e.g: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Each pregnant patient underwent ultrasound assessment of fetal anatomy and fetal biometry Then estimation of fetal weight (EFW) calculated by the formula of Hadlock et al. (1989), based on Biparietal diameter, abdominal circumference, femur length and head circumference. Ultrasound estimation of placental volume and placental thickness was done using 3D & 2D ultrasound respectively. All pregnant women will undergo ultrasound evaluation of placental thickness at the time of delivery. All sonographic examinations will be performed trans-abdominally by one experienced sonographer in fetal care unit by using a Samsung H 6o with a 4-9 MHz curved transducer. The placental thickness was measured by placing the ultrasound transducer perpendicularly to the plane of the placenta, in the area of the cord insertion, near the mid-placental portion. The placental thickness was on the average 4 cm ± 1 cm. Patients will also undergo abdominal ultrasound evaluation of placental volume at time of delivery. All ultrasound examination will be performed by the same operator using a conventional ultrasound equipment Samsung H60 with a 4-9 MHz curved transducer. During the examination, the setting will not change. The region of interest will include the whole placental region. During the analysis and calculation, the manual mode of VOCAL program will be used to cover the whole 3D volume of the placenta. The placental volume was on the average 268.8 cm3 ± 101.6 cm3. Actual neonatal weight was on the average 3170 gm± 530 gm and actual placenta weight at birth on the average 513 gm± 74 gm.