Fitting growth curves to head and abdomen measurements of the fetus: a multicentric study

J Clin Ultrasound. 1987 Feb;15(2):95-105. doi: 10.1002/jcu.1870150203.

Abstract

Three different mathematical models were fitted to ultrasonic measurements of the biparietal diameter, head circumference, and abdomen circumference obtained from 1,426 healthy fetuses. The linear cubic function gives coefficients comparable with most previous studies, but it does not thoroughly explain fetal growth throughout pregnancy. Both the exponential-power function and the logistic-logarithmic function fit the raw data well and theoretically reflect the biological phenomena of human fetal growth. The characteristics of each model are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen / embryology*
  • Anthropometry
  • Embryonic and Fetal Development*
  • Female
  • Head / embryology*
  • Humans
  • Mathematics
  • Models, Biological
  • Pregnancy
  • Reference Values
  • Ultrasonography