Abstract

Sandip Kumar Ghosh MBBS, MD, *Sumanta Kumar Mandal MBBS, MD, Kashi Nath Sarkar MBBS, MD and Arijit Mishra MBBS

ABSTRACT

Objectives: (1) To correlate placental thickness and fetal weight with gestational age by ultrasonography in normal singleton pregnancy. (2) To evaluate the role of placental thickness in estimation of fetal outcome in terms of birth weight, meconium stained liquor, APGAR score and NICU admission. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 antenatal mothers were interviewed by principal investigator and ultrasonography for fetoplacental profile was done and were followed up at 24 weeks,32 weeks, 36 weeks and after delivery for placental thickness and expected fetal weight. After delivery of such women fetal outcome was assessed in terms of birth weight, APGAR score, whether liquor was meconium stained or not and whether required NICU admission or not. Results: In the study it was observed that there was high positive correlation between the gestational age and placental thickness at 11-35 weeks with Pearson's correlation coefficient ("r ")value 0.98 and "p" value 0.235. similarly high positive correlation was proved between fetal weight and gestational age up to 38 weeks. At 32 and 36 weeks there were positive correlation with estimated fetal weight and birth weight. Conclusion: The relationship between the placental thickness and gestational age is linear and direct. Placental thickness and fetal weight are closely correlated from 11 to 38 weeks and it follows nearly a linear pattern except during last few weeks (after 38 weeks). Thin placenta were associated with increased morbidity, poor APGAR score and higher incidence of NICU admission.