Nuchal Translucency Thickness at 11-14 Weeks of Gestation in Cameroon

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of nuchal translucency at 11-14 weeks of pregnancy in the Cameroonian population. Compare our values of the nuchal translucency thickness to international reference valuesMaterial and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study including 332 Cameroonian women who received obstetric ultrasound between 11 and 14 weeks in four hospitals in Cameroon; from 1st January to 31 December 2012. Measurement of nuchal translucency was performed according to the recommendations of the Fetal Medicine Foundation. Results: 340 fetuses were examined. The median nuchal thickness was 1.5 mm (range 0 - 9.7 mm). Abnormal nuchal thickness (? 3 mm) was 1.5(5/340) and was significantly predominant in the range of maternal age over 36 years. In 8.8(30/340) of cases; nuchal translucency was absent among which 46.7(14/30) were examined before 13 weeks.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of abnormal nuchal translucency thickness is 1.5 in our setting and is significantly higher in the range of maternal age over 36 years. There exists an early 'filling' of nuchal translucency (before 13 weeks) in some Cameroonian fetus