Abstract

Background: Accurate gestation age assessment is essential to avoid iatrogenic prematurity or post maturity; both being associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. Ultrasound parameters like BPD, FL are more accurate for GA estimation from early second trimester. However, as the GA progresses, they become unreliable because of biological variability. FKL is not affected by growth variations. Therefore, the present study is to evaluate its role in estimating the GA and its linear correlation with GA. Aim: To evaluate the role of FKL in estimating GA and its linear correlation with GA. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department, at Mamata General Hospital, Khammam from October 2022 to September 2023, with a sample size of 50 antenatal women who were beyond 24 weeks. Results: When all the parameters were compared to clinical gestational age, least standard deviation for FKL was 0.43 at 26 and 29 weeks, for BPD was 0.73 at 26 weeks, for HC was 0.25 at 26 weeks, for AC was 0.7 at 26 and 29 weeks and for FL was 0.1 at 26 weeks. All the parameters were significant in estimating GA in both second and third trimesters but more accurate in second trimester. The FKL showed linear correlation with increasing gestational age, thus showing correlation of clinical GA best with FKL (r=0.953) in our study. Conclusion: FKL closely approximates GA and increases in linear correlation in the late second and third trimester.

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