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. 2022 Jan-Mar;12(1):17-22.
doi: 10.4103/jwas.jwas_72_22. Epub 2022 Aug 23.

Ultrasound Measurement of Placental Thickness: A Reliable Estimation of Gestational Age in Normal Singleton Pregnancies in Nigerian Women

Omolara A Olaleye  1 , Olubunmi O Olatunji  1 , Kamaldeen O Jimoh  1 , Abiola O Olaleye  2
Affiliations

Ultrasound Measurement of Placental Thickness: A Reliable Estimation of Gestational Age in Normal Singleton Pregnancies in Nigerian Women

Omolara A Olaleye et al. J West Afr Coll Surg. 2022 Jan-Mar.

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this article is to evaluate the accuracy of placental thickness (PT) in determination of gestational age (GA) in normal singleton foetuses.

Materials and methods: The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study which recruited consecutively a total of 406 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies (at 15-40 weeks of gestation), referred for routine obstetric ultrasound (US) scan at the National Hospital, Abuja from October to December 2019. Biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC), and PT were measured using standard protocols. All measurements were calculated by taking three best measurements, and the mean of the measurements was taken and recorded for each participant. Pearson's correlation analysis was computed to determine linear relationships between variables. A significant statistical level was determined at a critical value of P < 0.05.

Results: The mean age was 31.8 ± 4.8 years. The mean PTs in the second and third trimesters were 23.2 ± 3.1 and 34.1 ± 3.7 mm, respectively. PT had a linear relationship and a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.99, P = 0.00) with GA. There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between PT on the one hand, and BPD, AC, HC, FL, PT, and GA, on the other hand.

Conclusion: There was a significant and strong positive correlation between PT and GA. The study shows that US measurement of PT is a reliable method of estimating GA in singleton pregnancies in Nigeria.

Keywords: Age; correlation; gestational; placenta; thickness; trimester.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
US image showing a placenta that is relatively homogeneous in echotexture
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ultrasound of the placenta at 35 weeks’ gestational age
Figure 3
Figure 3
Graph showing correlation between PT and GA in the second trimester
Figure 4
Figure 4
Graph showing correlation between PT and GA in the third trimester
Figure 5
Figure 5
Correlation between PT and GA in the combined second and third trimesters
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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