Fetal binocular distance: no differences between ethnic groups.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to detect if interethnic differences for fetal binocular distance exist between the autochthonous Belgian population and immigrants from Turkey or Morocco, and to evaluate the need for different reference charts by ethnicity.


METHODS
A prospective cross-sectional study was performed. In 246 pregnant women who presented for routine prenatal ultrasound between 18 and 40 weeks of gestation age the binocular distance was measured. Polynomial regression was performed for the three ethnic groups.


RESULTS
The population consisted of 171 autochthonous Belgian women, 31 women from Turkish origin and 44 women from Moroccan origin. A statistically significant difference for the fetal binocular distance was noted between the Moroccan versus the autochthonous Belgian and Turkish fetuses (F test, p = 0. 047). The order of magnitude of this statistical difference is extremely small and does not result in clinical relevance.


CONCLUSIONS
A small, but statistically significant difference exists for the fetal binocular distance between fetuses of Moroccan origin versus those of autochthonous Belgian or Turkish origin. This difference is of no clinical importance and there is no need to adapt reference charts for ethnicity when studying these three groups.
Jacquemyn
Y
Y
Department of Obstetrics, Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. yves.jacquemyn@uza.uia.ac.be
Sys
S U
SU
Verdonk
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D001699:Biometry; D005006:Ethnicity; D005123:Eye; D005145:Face / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009018:Morocco / Q000208:ethnology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal