Human Fetal Growth and Age Estimation Based on Osteometry on the Diaphysis of Fetal Tibia

Abstract

In dealing with fetal growth, earlier studies carried out on chemically preserved fetuses with very little sample size and measured only the length of fetal long bones. The present study is a pioneer one, taken on naturally macerated fetal tibia bones. There have been six new osteometric measurements introduced on human fetal tibia. Maximum possible osteometric measurements have been taken on a record number of 912 fetal tibia bones from 456 fetuses having age range between 11 weeks to 40 weeks of intrauterine life. Bilateral and bisexual differences have been analyzed. Growth of the fetal tibia has been analyzed, based on its osteometry. The fastest rate of growth is observed in the length of the shaft of fetal tibia in females during 11 weeks to 16 weeks of the intrauterine life of human fetus. For every 1 mm increase in the CRL, the Maximum Length of Tibia (t-ml) is increased by .246 mm in females. Regression values have been calculated to estimate human fetal age from the osteometric measurements on fetal tibia. The age estimation is a crucial factor in dealing with medico-legal cases.