Fetal Head Growth Measured by Ultrasound in the Last Few Weeks of Pregnancy in Normal, Toxaemic and Diabetic Women

The authors measured the fetal biparietal diameter by an ultrasound technique in 41 normally pregnant women in the 32nd, 36th, 38th and 40th weeks of gestation and found that the diameter increased by an average of 1.8 mm per week. The growth rate decreased as the calculated term approached. In addition, the weekly increase in biparietal diameter was observed in 22 patients in hospital because of toxaemia of late pregnancy and in six pregnant diabetics. Since no significant deviations from normal growth could be shown in these groups of patients, the determination of the fetal biparietal diameter was considered of value for the estimation of the “true” fetal maturity in toxaemia of late pregnancy and in diabetic pregnancy.