Critical evaluation of various methods of estimating foetal weight by ultrasound

Summary: This prospective study was conducted in a peripheral hospital of Kasturba Medical College; Manipal to know which sonographic method of estimation of foetal weight reliably predicts the birth weight. 100 patients were scanned thoroughly within 48 hours of delivery. Seven different models of ultrasonic weight estimation were analysed critically. It was found that the method of Hadlock2, predicted the birth weight more accurately than others. The average deviation from the actual birth weight (226gms), the percentile values of absolute error of difference were least with this method and it predicted maximum number of cases within 10% of actual birth weight (85%). Significant differences were observed between the predicted and actual birth weight in all other methods (p<0.01). It was concluded that this method is superior predictor of birth weight compared to other six and is a method of choice to estimate the birth weight in term pregnancies where the measurements of foetal head is inaccurate either because of engagement or moulding, as it incorporates only FL and AC measurements which is not affected by these changes

ROLE OF FETAL THIGH CIRCUMFERENCE IN ESTIMATION OF BIRTH WEIGHT BY ULTRASOUND

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy and usefulness of predicting birth weight by measuring fetal thigh circumference by ultrasound. METHODS: In 110 pregnant women, fetuses without structural or chromosomal anomalies were studied prospectively and cross-sectionally. Thigh circumference (TC) was determined at the mid level of the thigh. Biparietal diameter (BPD), Head circumference (HC), Abdominal circumference (AC), and Femur length (FL) were measured using standard techniques. Fetal weights were estimated within a week prior to delivery. Statistical analysis of various ultrasound birth weight formulae in different weight categories was done and compared with each other and also with clinical methods. RESULTS: Estimated fetal birth weight using TC correlated well with actual birth weights in all categories and was superior to clinical and birth weight formulae using BPD, HC, AC and FL measurements. CONCLUSIONS: There was a good correlation between ultrasound measurement and actual postnatal measurements of thigh circumference (r2=0.89, p<0.01). Thigh circumference measurement was simple and there was better accuracy when it was combined along with BPD, HC, AC and FL measurements

An unusual case of Foetal Gastroschisis with Limb aplasia and Extra-corporal liver

Gastroschisis represents a herniation of abdominal contents through a paramedian full-thickness abdominal fusion defect without involving the umbilical cord. Evisceration usually only contains intestinal loops and has no surrounding membrane unlike in ophalocoele. It is unusual for a newborn born with gastroschisis to have other serious birth defects and neonates have better prognosis than those with an omphalocele. Very rarely gastroschisis is associated with herniation of major viscus and their presence makes the prognosis worst. This case is reported because of its rare association with extra-corporal liver and limb aplasia

Service Activity Report/Participants Enrolled in the September 11th Fund's Employment Assistance Program

This report profiles the services received by the 11,393 individuals served through the September 11th Fund's Employment Assistance Program (EAP). The report defines and describes the types of services available to EAP participants, analyzes how the different groups of participants took advantage of the array of services, and shows the similarities and differences among service providers. The report also presents detailed statistical tables on the services received by participants

Measurements in the near-wall region of a relaxing three-dimensional low speed turbulent air boundary layer

An experimental investigation was conducted at selected locations of the near-wall region of a three dimensional turbulent air boundary layer relaxing in a nominally zero external pressure gradient behind a transverse hump (in the form of a 30 deg swept, 5-foot chord wing-type model) faired into the side wall of a low speed wind tunnel. Wall shear stresses measured with a flush-mounted hot-film gage and a sublayer fence were in very good agreement with experimental data obtained with two Preston probes. With the upstream unit Reynolds number held constant at 325,000/ft. approximately one-fourth of the boundary layer thickness adjacent to the wall was surveyed with a single rotated hot-wire probe mounted on a specially designed minimum interference traverse mechanism. The boundary layer (approximately 3.5 in thick near the first survey station where the length Reynolds number was 5.5 million) had a maximum crossflow velocity ratio of 0.145 and a maximum crossflow angle of 21.875 deg close to the wall

A three-dimensional turbulent boundary layer undergoing transverse strain and streamwise pressure gradient

Results from an experimental investigation designed to provide data on both mean and turbulence quantities in the axisymmetric, swirling boundary layer (with and without pressure gradient) flowing over a stationary cylinder downstreams of a spinning cylindrical section are presented. The pressure gradient was introduced into the flow field by a 25.4 mm-high, forward-facing, circular step mounted on the stationary cylinder, the step height being nearly equal to the thickness of the approaching boundary layer. All the measurements were made at a nominal upstream reference Reynolds number of 2.4 x 10 to the 6th power/m (corresponding to an upstream reference velocity of 36 to 37 m/sec) with the rotation of the spinner set to make its peripheral speed equal the reference velocity. The data reported included measurements of surface pressure and the mean surface shear-stress vector taken with a miniature, directional, surface-fence gage. These measurements were supplemented by oil-flow visualization studies of the stationary cylinder. The data indicates that the streamwise pressure gradient controls the development of the streamwise component of wall shear, but leaves the peripheral component of wall shear practically unaffected