Effect of fetal gender on ductus venosus pulsatility index and diameter at gestational age 17-37 weeks.
OBJECTIVE
Recent findings have suggested that ductus venosus blood flow in the first trimester may be influenced by fetal gender. The aim of the present study was to investigate further the influence of fetal gender on ductus venosus (DV) pulsatility index (PI) and diameter at gestational age 17-37 weeks.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study. Three measurements were made for each the DV PI and diameter in each fetus during fetal quiescence. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 14.0 software was used to create nomograms for the DV PI and diameter against gestational age in each gender group. The DV PI and diameter were compared between fetal genders using independent Student's t-test.


RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in the DV PI and diameter between fetal sexes.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal gender does not influence the DV PI and diameter at gestational age 17-37 weeks.
Chanthasenanont
Athita
A
Division of Maternal-Fetal-Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand.
Pongrojpaw
Densak
D
Somprasit
Charintip
C
D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D049451:Nomograms; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology