Morphometrical studies of posterior fontanel in different periods of foetal life.
OBJECTIVE
There are 6 fontanels in the newborn's skull. Scientists have been mainly interested in the development of anterior fontanel in foetus and newborn. There are no researches about the development of posterior fontanel. The aim of our study was to estimate the size of posterior fontanel in different periods of foetal life.


METHODS
The study was carried out 71 human foetuses of age 15-29 Hbd, which were preserved in 10% formalin. The width and length of posterior fontanel and the length, width and circumference of foetuses' heads were measured. All data were analysed statistically.


RESULTS
The width and length of posterior fontanel increases up to 25 Hbd, and it decreases afterwards. The ratio of posterior fontanel's length to the length of foetus' head shows the increase in the group of foetuses up to 25 Hbd, but the decrease in group of foetuses from 25-29 Hbd.


CONCLUSIONS
The analysis of posterior fontanel progress from single to complex stage may be used to form an opinion about normal or pathological development of human fetus's body such as metabolic disorder's of bone tissue.
Katedra i Zakład Anatomii Prawidłowej i Klinicznej Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie, Szczecin.
Violetta
V
Konstanty-Kurkiewicz
Florian
F
Czerwiński
Aleksandra
A
Gawlikowska-Sroka
Ewa
E
Tomasik
D002508:Cephalometry; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D012886:Skull / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development