TRANSVAGINAL SONOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF FETAL LINGUAL WIDTH IN EARLY-PREGNANCY

Our objective was to construct a nomogram of the fetal lingual size in early pregnancy and to assess the size of the tongue in abnormal fetu ses. The lingual width was measured by using transvaginal ultrasonogra phy in 80 normal fetuses at 13 and 18 weeks' gestation. In addition th e tongue was measured in 22 fetuses at these gestational ages who had an abnormal karyotype or oro-facial malformations. A linear relationsh ip was found between the lingual width and gestational age in normal f etuses. The lingual size was within the normal range in cases of triso my 13: trisomy 21 and Turner syndrome. A small tongue was observed in fetuses with micrognathia. Correlation between lingual width and gesta tional age was observed in early pregnancy. The relationship between t he size of the tongue and ore-facial malformations needs further evalu ation. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.