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\n <\/p>\n Fetal biometry is a technique that uses ultrasound to measure the size and growth of a fetus during pregnancy. It involves several measurements that assess growth progress, compare proportions to standardized baseline markers and calculate size percentiles.\u00a0 These measurements provide insights into the fetus’s development and help healthcare providers monitor gestational age and detect any potential growth abnormalities. Throughout your pregnancy, you will likely have multiple ultrasound scans to track these metrics.<\/span><\/p>\n Because fetal biometry can be quite technical, using PocketHealth <\/span>Report Reader<\/span><\/a> can help clarify the medical terminology in your ultrasound report. This tool allows you to better understand and track the progression of your scans.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fetal biometric parameters are important because they compare the baby\u2019s size to their gestational age, helping to estimate how many weeks along in the pregnancy they are. If there are fetal growth abnormalities, such as a statistically significant size difference compared to the typical range, further testing may be required.<\/span><\/p>\n Some possible reasons for these size abnormalities can include placental issues, congenital fetal anomalies, or other health complications for the fetus or the expectant parent. Nevertheless, there are several common reasons for a fetus to measure smaller or larger, and it is not necessarily a cause for concern. Humans come in all sizes, even in the womb. Your doctor will determine any additional steps or tests to take, if needed.<\/span><\/p>\n Multiple standard measurements are used to assess fetal growth, providing a baseline for common parameters such as BPD, HC, FL, and others as necessary. Additional measurements from the BPD ultrasound can clarify anomalies or fetal growth disorders, enabling your doctor to closely monitor specific areas and track progression. You can access your reports through <\/span>PocketHealth<\/span><\/a>, which allows you to view these metrics and provides valuable data for discussion with your healthcare provider.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fetal ultrasound showing biometric measurements (BPD, HC, FL and others)<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Usual fetal biometry measurements are taken during standard ultrasounds, though some metrics may not be accurate until later in the pregnancy. Typically, this data is collected around 13 weeks gestation or later, save for an exception or two. BPD, HC, FL and AC are considered standard fetal biometric measurements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n BPD or Biparietal Diameter,<\/b> is a key measurement that is taken during routine pregnancy ultrasounds. It is a measurement of the distance between the two sides of the baby\u2019s head\u2014specifically, the space between the left and right parietal bones of the skull. This measurement is crucial for several reasons:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Accurate BPD measurements are essential for effective prenatal care. They guide medical decisions, from determining the due date to identifying potential complications early on. In cases where abnormalities are detected, further testing and monitoring may be necessary to ensure the health and well-being of both the mother and the baby.<\/p>\n Ultrasound image showing BPD and HC<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n In addition to the Biparietal Diameter (BPD), several other measurements are taken during a standard pregnancy ultrasound to assess fetal growth and development. These include Head Circumference (HC), Femur Length (FL) and Abdominal Circumference (AC). Each of these measurements provides valuable insights into the health and development of the fetus.<\/p>\n HC, FL and AC play a crucial role in evaluating fetal well-being. They are key to accurately determining the due date, assessing fetal health, and guiding decisions throughout the pregnancy.<\/p>\n Fetal ultrasound showing the crown rump length (CRL) measurement<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n Additional biometry measurements are used to determine accurate gestational age, check for physical abnormalities or growth disorders and estimate fetal weight, which is useful for tracking development.<\/span><\/p>\n The <\/span>ultrasound scan<\/span><\/a> provides fetal biometric measurements, including important data on BPD, HC, and other growth standards. This information can aid in prenatal diagnosis of intrauterine growth restriction or other abnormal growth conditions, enabling healthcare providers to intervene early.<\/span><\/p>\n Fetal biometry measurements are taken during standard prenatal ultrasound screenings. Ultrasounds utilize high-frequency sound waves that bounce off internal structures and organs, creating images from these echoes. Technicians use these images to check anatomy, perform an amniotic fluid volume assessment and record fetal biometry dimensions.<\/span><\/p>\n Most of your pregnancy scans will be abdominal ultrasounds. During the procedure, the technician applies clear gel to your abdomen and moves a small transducer over the area to capture images. Early <\/span>pregnancy scans<\/span><\/a> or those requiring specific views may be performed internally by inserting an ultrasound wand 2-3 inches into your vagina. While this might feel slightly uncomfortable, it should not be painful. To improve imaging quality, your healthcare provider may ask you to have a full bladder for both types of scans. Be sure to request any preparatory instructions ahead of time.<\/span><\/p>\n Fetal biometry data will be collected during all of your standard ultrasounds. Most pregnancies require only two or three ultrasounds: one at 6-8 weeks for gestational dating, another during the second trimester for anatomy scans and sometimes a third near the end of pregnancy to check the baby\u2019s position. High-risk patients or those <\/span>carrying multiples<\/span><\/a> may have additional scans.<\/span><\/p>\n During the first and second trimesters, fetal biometry is an accurate and dependable way to evaluate fetal growth. Accuracy declines somewhat in the third trimester, as fetal size begins to vary and growth becomes more individualized. As with any type of exam, errors from the machine or technician can occur, but overall, these scans are considered very reliable, especially when combined with other forms of testing.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The chart below shows the average values of BPD, FL, HC, and AC for specific gestational ages. However, it is common to see variation in fetal biometric measurements due to factors such as parental sizes, medical conditions, or genetic factors.<\/p>\n Gestational Age (weeks)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> BPD (mm)<\/strong><\/p> <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> FL (mm)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> HC (mm)<\/strong> AC (mm)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 11<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 15<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 08<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 48<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 49<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 14<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 24<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 12<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 80<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 74<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 16<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 32<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 14<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 104<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 120<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 18<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 38<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 23<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 132<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 125<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 20<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 49<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 34<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 170<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td> 152<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr> 22<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>\n\t\t\tEarly access to your pregnancy ultrasounds from any device\t\t<\/h2> \n\t<\/div>\n\t
What is fetal biometry?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Why is fetal biometry important?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Get fast access to your ultrasound results<\/h2>\n
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Standard measurements: <\/strong>What do BPD, HC, FL and AC mean on an ultrasound?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Fetal](\"https:\/\/www.pockethealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ultrasound-bpd-hc-ac-fl-1024x576.png\")
What is BPD on an ultrasound?<\/h3>\n
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![\"Ultrasound](\"https:\/\/www.pockethealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/bpd-and-hc-on-ultrasound-1024x576.png\")
What are HC, FL and AC on an ultrasound?<\/h3>\n
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Additional measurements: CRL, OFD, HL and others<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Fetal](\"https:\/\/www.pockethealth.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/crl-on-ultrasound-1024x576.png\")
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Ultrasound scan to measure BPD, HC and other parameters<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
How is the test performed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhen is the test performed?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How accurate are the measurements?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Normal fetal biometry values: BPD, HC, AC, FL week-by-week chart<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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