Abstract

Background: Accurate assessment of gestational age is pivotal to give quality maternity care. Ultra-sonographic fetal biometry is the most widespread method to establish gestational age (GA). Ultrasound parameters like Biparietal Diameter (BPD), Head Circumference (HC), & Femur Length (FL) in second and third trimester are not very reliable for dating the pregnancy. Fetal Kidney length (KL) has been shown to strongly correlate with gestational age in late trimesters and even in cases like IUGR, where others parameters like BPD, HC, AC are affected.

Methods: The study was conducted in Government Medical College, Jammu on a population of 50 pregnant women between 20-36 weeks of gestation. The accurate gestational age of all the subjects of study population was already calculated from early dating scan. Length of the right kidney was measured in all subjects in centimeters at 20 weeks, 28 weeks & 36 weeks of gestation along with other parameters like BPD, HC & FL.

Results: In the present study, it was found that standard error from the gestational age at all weeks is least for KL. It indicated that the KL in the present study correlates well with assigned gestational age.

Conclusion: Kidney length can be used as individual parameters in estimating gestational age especially in late trimesters and in cases where other biometric indices are not reliable.

Keywords: Pregnancy, Kidney Length, Ultrasound.