Determination of Efficiency of Transcerebellar Diameter/Abdominal Circumference, Head Circumference/Abdominal Circumference, and Femur Length/ Abdominal Circumference Ratios in Diagnosing Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Author(s): Satyanarayana Kummari, Challa Anil Kumar, Bagadi Lava Kumar, Karuna Priya Perumalla

Background:

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is the term used to describe when a foetus does not achieve its anticipated growth. Timely diagnosis of IUGR is essential for providing the best possible obstetric treatment in order to minimise foetal complications, neonatal morbidity, and mortality.

Aim:

To determine efficiency of transcerebellar diameter (TCD)/abdominal circumference (AC), head circumference (HC)/abdominal circumference (AC), and femur length/abdominal circumference (AC) ratios in diagnosing IUGR

Methods:

A total of five hundred expectant mothers, with GA ranging from 18 to 40 weeks, were included. TCD/AC, HC/AC, and FL/AC ratios were computed. SPSS version 22.0 was utilised to perform statistical calculations. The correlation coefficients were utilised, and regression analysis was performed. Both parametric and non-parametric tests were employed.

Results:

The mean TCD/AC, HC/AC, and FL/AC ratios were 14.12±0.89, 1.05±0.04, and 22.04±0.98, respectively, with the standard deviations for each group. The cut off value (Mean±2SD) of TDC/AC ratio, HC/AC ratio and FL/AC ratio for diagnosing IUGR was15.9, 1.13 and 24.0 respectively. TCD/AC ratio demonstrated a sensitivity of 87.5%, a specificity of 93.6%, a PPV of 91.7%, and a NPV of 89.3% in diagnosing intrauterine growth restriction; for the HC/AC ratio, these values were 81.2%, 89.3%, 86.4%, and 81.5%, respectively; and for the FL/AC ratio, they were 52.4%, 88.3%, 43.6%, and 89.2%, respectively.

Conclusion:

TCD/AC, HC/AC, and FL/AC ratios were the parameters that were not affected by GA and can be used to accurately detect intrauterine growth restriction. However, TCD/AC ratio exhibited higher sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV as compared to HC/AC and FL/AC ratios in diagnosing IUGR.