Fetal 3D Study

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute Of Child Health & Human Development

Investigators

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Abstract

This past year the Fetal 3D Study team published the study design paper (American Journal of Epidemiology, in press). We describe the study design, methods and details about reviewer training. Basic characteristics of this cohort, with their corresponding distributions of fetal 3D measurements by anatomic structure, are summarized. Notably there was generally good agreement between the two reviews for the fetal limb structures, although were slightly higher for the fractional lean limb volumes and high for the subcutaneous tissue thickness measures. Our findings are consistent with prior work that indicates fractional arm volume (AVol) and fractional thigh volume (TVol) measurements are reproducible during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. This investigation is responsive to critical data gaps in understanding serial changes in fetal subcutaneous fat, lean body mass and organ volume in association with pregnancy complications. Analyses for the primary and secondary aims are underway.