Saudi Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SJMPS)
Volume-5 | Issue-05 | 395-399
Original Research Article
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Normal Value of Fetal Nuchal Translucency Thickness at 11 To 14 Weeks of Gestation among Pregnant Women of Lahore, Pakistan
Shurooq Raad, Hafsa Ayyub, Raham Bacha, Syed Amir Gilani, Aruj Latif
Published : May 30, 2019
Abstract
First trimester sonographic diagnosis traditionally focused on evaluation of growth by serial examination to differentiate normal from abnormal gestations. Current trends in ultrasound late in the first trimester focus on measuring nuchal translucency thickness combined with maternal age and biochemical tests to determine the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and structural anomalies. The objective of the study was to compare normal reference range of mean fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness among pregnant women who were coming to the clinic with international reference values. A cross sectional study was conducted in a private ultrasound clinic, Lahore, Pakistan in one year starting from April 2016 to April 2017, after approval from the Institutional Review Committee of the University. A total of 59 pregnant women at 11-14 weeks gestation, were included in this study after taking consent. All NT measurements were performed by a certified sonographer using the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) recommended protocol. Descriptive statistics were presented in the form of range, mean and standard deviation. The mean maternal age and mean gestational age were (27.9 ± 4.4 years) and (11.8 ± 0.8 weeks) respectively. The mean calculated for nuchal translucency thickness, which ranges from (0.6-2.9 mm), is 1.77 mm. This study results show that normal range of NT thickness coincides with the normal range of mean Nuchal translucency found internationally.