English

Abstract

Placental thickness plays an important role when the menstrual age is not known. Placental thickness increases linearly with gestational age. Placental thickness and fetal weights are closely correlated in most circumstances and it fallows nearly a linear pattern except during last few weeks of gestation. Determining the Placental thickness may be helpful in the diagnosis of some abnormalities; a thin placenta may be seen in cases of IUGR and thick placentas are noted in hydrops fetalis of varied causes. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present study of measuring placental thickness at the level of umbilical cord insertion site was to assess the relationship between placental thickness with gestational age and fetal weight and also to assess the growth pattern of placenta with advancing gestational age. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Placental thickness can be measured as a new parameter for estimating gestational age of the fetus. 2. To assess the fetal weight with respect to gestational age of the fetus 3 .To assess the changing pattern of placental thickness MATERIALS AND METHODS SOURCE OF DATA: The study included 200 normal antenatal women referred from antenatal clinic at the Department of obstetrics and gynaecology, during the period of study from June 2006 to June 2008. METHOD OF COLLECTION OF DATA: After taking a detailed history the antenatal women will be examined for placental thickness, gestational age and fetal weight ultrasonologically. INCLUSION CRITERIA: The antenatal women of all gestational ages from 11 weeks to 40 weeks of gestation referred to department of radio diagnosis, for routine antenatal ultrasound. THE EXCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients with PIH, diabetes mellitus, intrauterine growth restriction, hydrops fetalis, congenital malformations and twins.