European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Aim: To assess the accuracy of placental thickness measurement as a new parameter for estimating gestational age of the fetus and also to assess the growth pattern of placenta with advancing gestational age.
Material & methods: The prospective cross-sectional study consisting of 200 normal antenatal women attending in the Department of Radiodiagnosis, National Institute of Medical Science and Research, NIMS University, Jaipur for the period of one year. Placental thickness was measured as a parameter for estimating gestational age of the fetus from 11 weeks to 40 weeks of gestation by using grey scale real time ultrasonographic examinations. The gestation age was determined by measuring the biparietal diameter, the abdominal circumference, the crown rump length, the head circumference and the femur length. Descriptive statistical analysis has been carried out in the present study. Correlation was inferred by Pearson’s Correlation coefficient. P-value < 0.001 was taken as significant.          
Results: In the present study, it is observed that mean ± SD of gestational age (weeks) by USG is 27± 6.97 with the range of 11-39 weeks. The mean ± SD of placental thickness is 27.595 ± 7.15 with the range of 11-38 mm. It was found that at 11-39 weeks of gestational age there is no statistical significance (t value = 0.33, p>0.001) between the mean difference of gestational age and placental thickness, which indicates that there was high positive correlation between gestational age and placental thickness (r = 0.94) which is significant i.e. P< 0.001. It was found that at 11-35 weeks of gestational age there is no statistical significance (t value = 0.083, p>0.001) between the mean difference of gestational age (25.65 ± 6.12) and placental thickness (25.59 ± 6.65), which indicates that there was high positive correlation between gestational age and placental thickness (r = 0.92) which is significant i.e. P< 0.001. It was found that at ≥35 weeks of gestational age there is statistical significance (t - value = 3.55, p<0.001) between the mean difference of gestational age (36.293 ± 1.188) and placental thickness (35.37 ± 1.22), which indicates that there was moderate positive correlation between gestational age and placental thickness (r = 0.53) which is not significant i.e.  P> 0.001.   
Conclusion: The relationship between the placental thickness and gestational age is linear and direct. Placental thickness (in mm) measurement can be important additional parameter for estimating gestational age along with other parameters especially from 11 to 35 weeks of gestation in the woman in whom the LMP is unreliable or is not known.