Our objective was to obtain dimensions of the fetal gall bladder as a
basis for further studies and to establish normative data to assess de
viations in growth. The study group included 183 normal pregnant women
from 13 to 40 weeks' gestation. Routine biometric measurements were o
btained on all fetuses, including biparietal diameter, head and abdomi
nal circumferences and measurements of the long bones and the two diam
eters of the fetal gall bladder. The gall bladder area and circumferen
ce were calculated for each gestational age. A linear growth function
was observed across the gestational age and a first-degree correlation
was found to exist between gestational age and both the longitudinal
(r = 0.77067; p < 0.00001; y = -0.41060 + 0.0907 x gestational age) an
d transverse (r = 0.602; p < 0.00001; y = 0.58567 + 0.01925 x gestatio
nal age) diameters of the fetal gall bladder. A significant correlatio
n was also found between gall bladder area and gestational age (r = 0.
68 78; p < 0.00001), biparietal diameter (r = 0.72768; p < 0.00001),
abdominal circumference (r = 0.71363; p < 0.00001) and femoral length
(r = 0.72190; p < 0.00001). In addition, a significant correlation was
found between gall bladder circumference and gestational age (r = 0.7
6181; p < 0.00001), biparietal diameter (r = 0.80039; p < 0.00001), ab
dominal circumference (r = 0.78030; p < 0.00001) and femoral length (r
= 0.79694; p < 0.00001). These results provide normative data of the
fetal gall bladder in various dimensions and across gestational age. I
n addition, the data offer the potential for prenatal diagnosis of add
itional lesions in the extrahepatic biliary duct system.