Quantitative growth of the eye in the human fetus.

Eye weight growth was studied in 50 human fetuses aged 14 to 39 weeks after conception. The collected date was correlated with fetal maturity parameters (festational age and fetal weight) using the allometric method. Normal eye weight curves were obtained. The results indicate that eye weight growth present negative allometry. These curves may be important for the diagnosis of fetal eye malformations, and may indicate that noninvasive method such as ultrasounds can be used.

Relative growth of brain in the human fetuses: first gestational trimester.

The relative growth of brain weight was studied in 23 Brazilian human fixed fetuses of known age ranging from 9th to 12th weeks post-conception using the allometric method: Y = aXb. The brain weight (grams) was correlated to the fetal parameters of growth: gestational age (weeks post-conception), cephalic perimeter (millimeters) and fetal weight (grams). The brain weight growth presented negative allometry relative to fetal age (b = 0.87) and cephalic perimeter (b = 2.46) and positive allometry relative to gestational age (b = 6.65). These data are important to compare the fetal growth after ultrasonic investigation.