SONOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF FIRST TRIMESTER UMBILICAL-CORD LENGTH

Umbilical cord length was measured sonographically in 53 normal fetuse s and 15 fetuses with an intrauterine demise. The age of the fetuses r anged from 6.1 weeks to 11 weeks, menstrual age. Intra- and interobser ver differences in measurements were not significantly different from zero. A close linear relationship (r(2) = 0.89) was found between umbi lical cord length and menstrual age in the normal group. The cord leng ths of 9 of 15 fetuses (60%) with an intrauterine fetal demise were mo re than 2 SD below the expected value for menstrual age in normal fetu ses. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.