Abstract
This chapter reviews the range of fetal measurements that have been employed in the characterization of human fetal growth. These measurements can be considered to fall into two categories. First, anthropométrie measurements have classically formed the basis of the description of fetal growth (Scammon and Calkins, 1929; Streeter, 1951) as they have for growth after birth. Table I lists some of the more common fetal measurements. The second category includes both chemical and to a lesser extent biochemical measurements which have been used to describe growth in terms of chemical and biochemical parameters and to relate these to the development of physiological function (Widdowson, 1968). In the main these studies have as their aim a better understanding of the physiology of the neonate and the improvement of the clinical care of the neonate (Corner, 1960) or the prognosis for physical and mental development postnatally (Ounsted and Ounsted, 1973); in other studies the major interest has been a better understanding of the physiology of fetal growth.
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© 1978 Plenum Press, New York
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Southgate, D.A.T. (1978). Fetal Measurements. In: Falkner, F., Tanner, J.M. (eds) Principles and Prenatal Growth. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0814-0_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-0814-0_15
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