title: Methodology for Using 3-Dimensional Sonography to Measure Fetal Adrenal Gland Volumes in Pregnant Women With and Without Early Life Stress.
abstract: Fetal adrenal gland volumes on 3-dimensional sonography have been studied as potential predictors of preterm birth. However, no consistent methodology has been published. This article describes the methodology used in a study that is evaluating the effects of maternal early life stress on fetal adrenal growth to allow other researchers to compare methodologies across studies. Fetal volumetric data were obtained in 36 women at 20 to 22 and 28 to 30 weeks' gestation. Two independent examiners measured multiple images of a single fetal adrenal gland from each sonogram. Intra- and inter-rater consistency was examined. In addition, fetal adrenal volumes between male and female fetuses were reported. The intra- and inter-rater reliability was satisfactory when the mean of 3 measurements from each rater was used. At 20 weeks' gestation, male fetuses had larger average adjusted adrenal volumes than female fetuses (mean, 0.897 versus 0.638; P = .004). At 28 weeks' gestation, the fetal weight was more influential in determining values for adjusted fetal adrenal volume (0.672 for male fetuses versus 0.526 for female fetuses; P = .034). This article presents a methodology for assessing fetal adrenal volume using 3-dimensional sonography that can be used by other researchers to provide more consistency across studies.
authors: Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA drkim@upenn.edu.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Kim
authors: Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
authors: C Neill
authors: CN
authors: Epperson
authors: Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
authors: Grace
authors: G
authors: Ewing
authors: Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
authors: Dina
authors: D
authors: Appleby
authors: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, Penn PROMOTES Research on Sex and Gender in Health, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
authors: Mary D
authors: MD
authors: Sammel
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA.
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 3-dimensional sonography; fetal adrenal glands; methods; obstetric ultrasound; pregnancy; stress; volumes