title: Fetal lung maturity: the adjunctive use of ultrasound.
abstract: Ultrasonic cephalometry (BPD) was retrospectively studied in 268 patients at risk for the development of hyaline membrane disease (HMD). Thirty-seven patients were diagnosed as having diabetes and were excluded. Of the remaining 231 patients, 123 (53%) were found to have a biparietal diameter of (BPD) greater than or equal to 9.2 cm. There were 92 patients delivered within 5 days of scanning and none developed HMD. A BPD of 9.2 cm corresponded to an L/S ratio of 2.8 (r = 0.45, p less than 0.05). The above results indicate that it is safe to deliver a nondiabetic patient in whom a fetal BPD of 9.2 cm has been obtained.
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D002508:Cephalometry; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000032:analysis; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013109:Sphingomyelins