GROWTH OF THE FETAL NOSE WIDTH AND NOSTRIL DISTANCE IN NORMAL PREGNANCIES

The study was planned to obtain the dimensions of the fetal nose width and nostril distance during normal pregnancy as a basis for further s tudies and for identification of deviations in growth. The study group included 302 healthy pregnant women at 14-40 weeks' gestation. Routin e biometric measurements were obtained from all the participants, incl uding biparietal diameter, head and abdominal circumferences, measurem ents of the long bones and dimensions of the fetal nose width and nost ril distance. The nose width and nostril distance were also calculated for each gestational age. A linear growth relationship was observed b etween nose width and gestational age (r = 0.88; p < 0.0002; y = 0.27 + 0.57 x gestational age), biparietal diameter (r = 0.92; p < 0.0001; y = 0.41 + 0.23 x biparietal diameter), head circumference (r = 0.91; p < 0.00001; y = 0.85 + 0.63 x head circumference), femoral length (r = 0.91; p < 0.0001; y = 3.18 + 0.26 x femoral length) and humeral leng th (r = 0.73; p < 0.0001; y = 1.94 + 0.11 humeral length). A linear gr owth function was also observed between nostril distance and gestation al age (r = 0.54; p < 0.00001; y = 2.77 + 0.15 x gestational age), bip arietal diameter (r = 0.71; p < 0.00001; y = 1.83 + 0.08 x biparietal diameter), head circumference (r = 0.70; p < 0.00001; y = 1.99 + 0.2 x head circumference), femoral length (r = 0.75; p < 0.00001; y = 2.49 + 0.09 x femoral length) and humeral length (r = 0.91; p < 0.00001; y = 1.89 + 0.32 x humeral length). A linear growth relationship was foun d between nose width and nostril distance (r = 0.71; p < 0.00001; y = 1.81 + 0.31 x nose width). These results provide normative data of the fetal nose width and nostril distance in various dimensions and acros s gestational age. In addition, the data offer the potential for prena tal diagnosis of nose and nostril abnormalities.