PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for January, 1999: Re: How to Interpret Ultrasound Results?

Re: How to Interpret Ultrasound Results?

From: Mary (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 16:38:03 -0600

Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
Next message: Elizabeth: "Re: Amniotic Fluid loss"
Previous message: Dee: "Amniotic Fluid loss"
Maybe in reply to: anonymous@obgyn.net: "How to Interpret Ultrasound Results?"

-----Original Message----- From: anonymous@obgyn.net <anonymous@obgyn.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <anonymous@obgyn.net> Date: Monday, January 25, 1999 3:02 PM Subject: How to Interpret Ultrasound Results?

>Today I got from my obstetrician a photocopy of the ultrasound results
>sent to her by the lab.
>What do these mean?:
>
>BPD 5.6 cm (23 weeks +/- 2 weeks)
>FL 3.9 cm (22 weeks +/- 2.3 weeks)
>HC 20.7 cm (23 weeks +/- 2 weeks)
>AC 17.4 cm (22 weeks +/- 3 weeks)
>
>------------------------------------
>My obstetrician said that the baby is big (surprising as I'm still
>------------------------------------
>barely showing!) when she measured me today, and she asked me whether I
>------------------------------------
>was sure of the date of my LMP which I am positive as I was keeping
>track on the calendar; also my LMP was fairly heavy not light so I don't
>think I was pregnant during it. So I'm quite sure conception occurred
>in late August (my LMP was Aug. 17). I had the ultrasound done Jan.
>19/99.
>
>Thank you for your assistance.

I'm not a doctor or a sonographer but have had many many many ultrasounds scans during my 5 pregnancies so I feel *qualified* to answer. :)

BPD = biparietal diameter (this is a measurement of the head, sort of across the head at the widest part above the ears) FL = femur length (length of the long bone in the leg, the thigh bone) HC = head circumference (distance around the head) AC = abdominal circumference (distance around the abdomen)

All of these measurements are in centimeters as indicated. The weeks noted after each of these on your results indicate the gestational age of your baby based on these measurements. For example, let's take the femur length. This says 22 weeks +/- 2.3 weeks. This means that based on the measurement, your baby falls in the range of an average baby at the gestational age (from first day of last menstrual period) of 22 weeks BUT it could be off as much as 2.3 weeks (2 weeks 3 days) either way. According to my Syntex Pregnancy Calculator wheel, an LMP of 8/17/98 shows you being 22 completed weeks pregnant on Jan 19th (or 22 weeks 1 day, it's sort of in the middle) so the femur measurement is *right on* with your dates.

Why your doc said the baby is big is beyond me because the measurements are in line with how far you are in your pregnancy. But like I said, I am not a doctor and perhaps one of our OBGYN.net doctors here can explain this better.

I hope this helps you a bit until a medical professional responds.

Congratulations on your pregnancy! We look forward to a baby announcement around the end of May :)

Sincerely, Mary Shoup Pregnancy & Birth Coordinator mary.shoup@obgyn.net

Next message: Elizabeth: "Re: Amniotic Fluid loss"
Previous message: Dee: "Amniotic Fluid loss"
Maybe in reply to: anonymous@obgyn.net: "How to Interpret Ultrasound Results?"

use when must restrict search to only the pregnancy & birth forum...
Enter search keywords:
	Returns per screen: Require all keywords: