Use of fetal biometry in the assessment of gestational age in South East Nigeria: Femur length and biparietal diameter.

BACKGROUND: Fetal growth is influenced by many factors such as race, socioeconomic status, genetics, geographical location, maternal diseases, and number of babies. Consequent upon these, fetal growth charts may vary from one location to another even within the same geographical entity. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to establish the fetal growth chart in antenatal women who had ultrasound scanning at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, South East Nigeria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive analysis of fetal biometric measurement of antenatal women. Four hundred and seventy pregnant women were studied. RESULTS: The nomogram for the femur length (FL) and biparietal diameter (BPD) for the different weeks of gestation (from 13th to the 40th week) were established. Correlation coefficients between gestational age and the various fetal parameters were also reported. Growth charts using both FL and BPD were plotted. A regression model for prediction of fetal age using the fetal biometry was also deduced for the studied population. CONCLUSION: The fetal parameters used in this study were consistently smaller than reported values from European studies up to the 34th week of gestation after which a catch-up growth till the 40 weeks was observed. Fetal parameters observed in this study were larger than most of the reported Asian values.

Attitude of intending couple toward compulsory hiv screening test: a means to control the spread of hiv infection.

The objective of questionnaire based survey was to assess the attitude and acceptability toward compulsory HIV screening for the intending couple. A structure questionnaire was used to elicit responses from the couples. Data were collected from total 1150 volunteers, that was disaggregate by sex but education and social status were not put in to consideration during the study. Higher percentage of awareness and knowledge were found about modes of transmission, high risk factors, self protection, response were favourable with female than male in vertical transmission or through breast milk. Despite of not knowing the HIV status, 25-48% population willingly agreed to undergo test but larger population disagreed. This finding definitely seems that a lot need is there to enhance the acceptability of the testing, the long distance driver more education on the prevalent of the pandemic, legal intervention will also help.