Platelet count in normal, small, and anemic fetuses

Article Abstract:

Platelets are cells essential for blood clotting. The range of platelet counts for normal fetuses and fetuses experiencing a complication of pregnancy was ascertained. The platelet count was measured by cordocentesis, the process of removing blood samples from fetal umbilical cords during pregnancy. The platelet counts were measured in 229 fetuses throughout pregnancy. There were 113 fetuses with red blood cell isoimmunization, a complication of pregnancy causing a breakdown in red blood cells resulting in anemia (reduced red blood cells). Isoimmunized fetuses were classified as either not anemic, moderately anemic or severely anemic. Fetuses who were moderately anemic had significantly increased blood platelets, whereas the severely anemic fetuses had a reduced number of platelets. There were 136 pregnancies complicated by a small-for-gestational-age fetus, a fetus smaller than 90 percent of fetuses at the same age of pregnancy. The smaller the fetus, the greater the reduction in blood platelets. In the normal pregnancies, the platelet count increased as the pregnancy progressed. The platelet count increased from 187 (billion cells per liter of blood) at 15 weeks to 274 at 40 weeks. This linear increase in platelets as the week of pregnancy increases must be considered when fetal blood is used to diagnose thrombocytopenia. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Analysis, Anemia, Measurement, Complications and side effects, Infants, Fetal blood, Blood platelets, Thrombocytopenia, Blood cell count

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Crown-rump length in chromosomally abnormal fetuses at 10 to 13 weeks' gestation

Article Abstract:

Growth retardation can be demonstrated in the first trimester among embryos with trisomy 18 but not among embryos with other chromosomal abnormalities. The normal range for crown-rump length in the first trimester was established from sonographic images of 700 chromosomally normal embryos and compared with 32 embryos with trisomy 18, 72 embryos with trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), 11 embryos with trisomy 13, 6 embryos with 47,XXX, 6 embryos with 47,XXY, 5 embryos with 45,X, and 3 embryos with triploidy. Crown-rump length fell within normal range for all these genetic abnormalities except trisomy 18. Among embryos with trisomy 18, crown-rump length fell almost exclusively below the 50th percentile and many embryos measured below the 5th percentile. Trisomy is known to be associated with severe intrauterine growth retardation as measured in the second and third trimesters.

Fetal growth retardation, Aneuploidy

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Crown-chin length in normal and anencephalic fetuses at 10 to 14 weeks' gestation

Article Abstract:

Ultrasonographic measurement of the crown-chin length of the fetus at 10 to 14 weeks of pregnancy may indicate whether a fetus has a normally developing brain. Researchers performed ultrasonographic examinations of fetuses between 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy to determine which fetuses had normal and abnormal measurements and ratios for crown-chin length and crown-rump length. The crown-chin length of normally developing fetuses increased while the ratio of crown-chin length to crown-rump length decreased. Over half of fetuses without normally developed brains had crown-chin and crown-rump lengths below the 5th percentile.

Brain, Anencephaly

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