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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Journal of Fetal Medicine 2020; 07(03): 219-224
DOI: 10.1007/s40556-020-00256-5
Original Article

Sonographic Assessment of Fetal Neck Circumference (NC) As a Predictor of Gestational Age

Muhammad K. Abdulkadir
1   Department of Medical Radiography, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria
,
Ivor C. Nwobi
2   Department of Radiography, Faculty of Allied Health, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
,
Auwal Abubakar
2   Department of Radiography, Faculty of Allied Health, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria
,
Ilyasu Izge
3   Department of Radiography, College of Health Sciences, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Nigeria
,
Abdulaziz Abdulkarim
4   Radiology Department, Federal Medical Centre, Azare, Azare, Nigeria
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Abstract

Background The need for development of population based nomograms for ultrasound fetal dating cannot be overemphasised. The objective of this study was to develop a nomogram of Fetal Neck Circumference (NC) for predicting gestational age for this population.

Methods This was a cross sectional prospective study of 203 singleton normal pregnant women of 15–40 weeks’ gestation. Fetal NC was measured the 5th, 50th and 95th centile values were estimated at each week of gestational age, 50th centile values were then compared to Caucasian and African population study to assess variability.

Results A nomogram was derived and NC values showed no statistical significant difference compared to the Caucasians (p = 0.065, 0.257) and African (p = 0.947) population. There was a strong positive significant correlation (r2 = 0.799; p = 0.001) between NC and average gestational age. Method of least square yielded to the equation y = 2.22x + 5.390. NC relationship with BPD (r2 = 0.859; p = 0.001), FL (r2 = 0.842; p = 0.001) and HC (r2 = 0.662; p = 0.001) were also significant and positive. Estimated weekly increase in NC was 0.72 cm.

Conclusion This study derived nomogram for ultrasound measurement of fetal NC in a Northern Nigerian population. However, NC values from this study differ less with an African population than with Caucasian study population.

Keywords

Fetal neck circumference (NC) - Gestational age (GA) - Ultrasound - Nomogram


Publication History

Received: 08 December 2019

Accepted: 13 May 2020

Article published online:
05 May 2023

© 2020. Society of Fetal Medicine. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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