A Study of Age Estimation of Foetuses and Neonates Between 10 and 24 Weeks Gestation

It is well known fact that the physical stature of Indian on an average is shorter than the western one. Considering this an attempt has been made to establish average values of various parameters of Indian foetuses/ neonates in different gestational age groups. As no Indian records (direct measurements) are available on parameters of  foetuses/neonates below 36 weeks of gestational age so crown rump length, weight, biparietal diameter  and maximum foot length of six hundred foetuses /neonates were measured and analysed directly.  It has been observed that, the average values of these four parameters in each gestational age group are on the lower side when compared with the western figures. Ultrasound studies (indirect measurement) by western and Indian workers have established the value of femoral length (diaphyseal length) in estimating the gestational age of the foetuses. Therefore the diaphyseal length of the femur along with a new parameter i.e. total length of femur was measured directly in 142 foetuses/neonates between 10 and 28 weeks of gestational age. It was observed that there is minimum overlap in the values of both parameters in adjacent age groups and statistical analysis showed that the means for these groups are significantly different (p < .001 between all adjacent groups). Hence these two seem to be good indicators to estimate the age of foetuses/ neonates. All these parameters will help in obstetrical, medicolegal, embryological and anthropological examinations.