Ultrasound measurement of fetal size in rural Guatemala

Objectives: To describe the fetal growth pattern of a population from rural Guatemala and determine when during gestation growth faltering becomes evident. Methods: Ultrasound examinations were conducted for 319 women. Femur length (FL), biparietal diameter (BPD), abdominal (AC) and head circumference (HC) were compared with reference values. Results: FL and AC were similar to reference values throughout gestation. BPD and HC were below the 50th percentile by 30 weeks’ gestation and below the 10th percentile later in gestation. We expected all four dimensions to show marked growth restriction during gestation. Measurement differences may explain the results but would call into question the value of cross-study comparisons. Infants born small for gestational age were small in all measures as early as 15 weeks. Conclusions: Fetal growth faltering begins in early gestation among infants who were born small. The lack of deviation from reference data for FL and AC requires further clarification.