Abstract

Introduction: Several parameters are used for the estimation of gestational age by ultrasonography. Measurement and demonstration of fetal cerebellum is a new and unique parameter of fetal brain growth and also useful for assessment of gestational age. The cerebellum is part of hindbrain and lies in posterior cranial fossa. In the embryo it appears at the end of 5th week of intrauterine life. Aim: 1. To measure and correlate transvrerse cerebellar diameter (TCD) with fetal gestational age (GA) and derive regression equation. 2. To evaluate cerebellar growth pattern by ultrasonographic cerebellar grading. Material and Methods: This prospective study was carried out on 100 pregnant women between12-40 weeks of pregnancy attending the R.C.S.M. Govt. Medical College Kolhapur for routine ultrasound examination,Transverse cerebellar diameter was measured and cereballar grading was done by ultrasongraphically. Results: We observed a linear correlation between TCD and GA (correlation coefficients-r=0.995, p=0.000 ) Fetal cerebella were found to be 61,15 and 24% cases as grade I,II and III respectively.The grade changed from I to III with advancing gestational age. The median gestational age and TCD were 18.42 weeks and 1.9cm for grade I, and 28.42 weeks and 3.3cm for grade II and 35.99 weeks and 4.2cm for grade III. Conclusion: Regression analysis indicated a strong relationship between TCD and gestational age indicating TCD can be used as reliable parameter for estimation of gestational age.Its grading can be used in evaluation of development of fetus.

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