Significance of ultrasound measurements of the head of the breech fetus.

Abstract

Ultrasound measurements of head shape and size in 451 fetuses presenting as a breech were compared to those obtained in 1,880 fetuses presenting as a cephalic between 15 and 40 weeks' gestation. No statistically significant differences were found for the biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference (HC), or cephalic index (CI) measurements between the two groups in uncomplicated pregnancies. The mean values for the CI were found to be lower for breech presenting fetuses in complicated pregnancies, indicating a trend for these fetuses to have a more dolichocephalic head shape.