Placental grading by ultrasonography as an index of fetal maturity. Its application to the problem of elective caesarean section.
Ultrasonographic placental grading for estimation of fetal maturity before elective caesarean section was assessed at 38 weeks' gestation in 100 patients. It was impossible to grade the placenta in 5 cases, but in 95 it could be graded with confidence. In 90 cases the placenta was graded as II or III, and all the infants in these two groups had achieved lung maturity. Five patients had grade I placentas, and one of these patients had an immature baby. Amniocentesis for determination of the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and the presence of phosphatidyl glycerol was attempted in all cases. We failed to obtain liquor amnii from 6 of the 100 patients.
D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000032:analysis; D010920:Placenta; D011247:Pregnancy; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; D013109:Sphingomyelins