Ultrasonographic fetal kidney Length For Determination Of Gestational Age ln Late Second And Third Trimester

The first & foremost duty of an obstetrician is to date the pregnancy as early as possible during the antenatal period. An accurate estimation of gestational age is fundamental to the management of all pregnancies, especially high-risk pregnancies. In some cases early termination is necessary as soon as fetus becomes mature e.g. severe pre-eclampsia & eclampsia, chronic hypertension, chronic renal disease, severe IUGR, patient with diabetes, central placenta previa, sensitized Rh-Ve mother etc. Accurate estimation of gestational age is also necessary to obtain materials for different tests as well as to interpret the results of these tests.Traditionally the duration of pregnancy is calculated in terms of 9 calendar months & 7 days or 40 weeks or 280 days, calculated from the 1st day of last menstrual period.Unfortunately sometimes calculation of EDD based on LMP becomes very difficult when (a) The menstrual cycle is irregular; (b) Patient fails to remember LMP or reports inaccurately (c) Pregnancy occurs during lactational amenorrhoea & (d) if patient have bleeding in early pregnancy.