A Descriptive Study of Morphogenesis of Human Foetal Lung in AbortedFoetus in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Maharashtra

Background: Reliable Indian data on foetal growth and lung maturation are limited. Objectives: To document body size and pulmonary morphogenesis in human foetuses from 16 to 38 weeks of fertilisation age. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional autopsy study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2023. Fifty aborted foetuses (29 females, 21 males) were examined. Inclusion required fertilisation age 16 weeks, no major anomalies and no maceration. Body weight and crownrump length (CRL) were recorded with calibrated instruments; lungs were assessed for location, external morphology and hypoplasia. Foetuses were stratified into six two-week age groups (1618 to 3638 weeks). Results: Mean body weight rose from 275 79.9 g at 1618 weeks to 2 420 112.5 g at 3638 weeks, while mean CRL increased from 150 13.6 mm to 335 5.0 mm. Pulmonary hypoplasia was present in 100 of foetuses up to 22 weeks, 50 at 2830 weeks, and 0 beyond 36 weeks. Lung appearance progressed from small, pyramidal, pinkish organs with indistinct lobes in early gestation to well-lobated, grey8209;pink lungs of near-adult morphology by term. No ectopic or displaced lungs were noted. Conclusion: Indian foetal growth shows a steady increase in body size with a modest slowdown after 32 weeks. Lung hypoplasia is mainly found in early second-trimester, resolving by 36 weeks as external features attain mature form. These findings provide useful baseline references for foetal age estimation and assessment of lung maturity in the Indian context.