Foetal Foot Length Assessment and its Sonographic Correlation with Gestational Age

Objectives: The present study was to assess the relationship between gestational age and foetal foot length and to derive a nomogram correlating gestational age(in weeks) with foetal foot length (in mm). Methods: Ultrasound examinations were performed when the pregnant women were scanned in the supine position. FFL was measured from the skin edge overlying the calcaneus to the skin overlying the distal end of the longest toe (the first or second toe) on either the plantar/coronal or the sagittal view. In each foetus, the measurements of the two feet were averaged and a single value obtained for the purpose of statistical analysis. Results: 3.67% of our pregnant women were of < 20 years, 70.33 % of our pregnant women were between 20 to 30 years, 25.67% % of our pregnant women were between 31 to 39years, 0.33% of our pregnant women were of >39 years. Strong significant linear statistical correlation was found between FFL and other parameters like HC, BPD, AC, FL with a p value of <0.001 and r values of 0.942, 0.959, 0.953 and 0.951 respectively. Conclusions: A statistically significant relationship was seen between GA and FFL.” and a strong significant linear statistical correlation was found between FFL and other reliable parameters like HC, BPD, AC, FL. Hence, FFL is an additional USG parameter along with other reliable parameters (HC, BPD, AC, FL) useful for the estimation of GA in 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy when other commonly utilized USG parameters are unreliable to predict GA like brachycephaly, dolichocephaly, achondroplasia etc.” Foot length is more accurate in ascertaining period of gestation in 2nd trimester when compared to 3rd trimester.