ABSTRACT

Background: Exact evaluation of gestational age is essential to provide maternity quality care. Determining the fetus GA is a great challenge particularly during late trimester. With the progression of pregnancy, BPD, AC, HC and FL can be used but these parameters could be incorrect. The measurement of fetal kidney length has high prognostic values that can be utilized as an addition parameter.

Aim: To find the correlation between fetal kidney length on ultrasonography and gestational age in females presenting during second and third trimester.

Methodology: It was a cross-sectional, analytical study in which 400 pregnant females visiting Usman Diagnostic Center, Sheikhupura were included. Data was collected through questionnaire, which was entered and statistically analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Pearson’s correlation was calculated to measure relationship between gestational age and fetal kidney length.

Results: Results showed that mean age of pregnant females was 26.49+3.989 years. A significant correlation between fetal kidney length and gestational age by LMP, BPD, FL, AC& HC was observed. The mean kidneys length during 18-24 weeks gestational age by USG was 21.557+2.0476 and during 25-37 weeks was 31.851+3.3801. The result was found statistically significant (P=0.000).

Conclusion: Study concluded that fetal kidney length is the most accurate parameter for the estimation of gestational age. It is strongly correlated with the gestational age during second and third trimesters.

Keywords: Fetal kidney length, gestational age, ultrasound, second and third trimester