Fetal hand movements and facial expression in normal pregnancy studied by four-dimensional sonography
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A. Kurjak
Abstract
Aim: To evaluate the developmental pattern of fetal hand movements and facial activity and expression during the second and third trimester of pregnancy by four-dimensional ultrasound (4D-US).
Subjects and methods: A total of 25 fetuses in uncomplicated pregnancies were analyzed; 15 fetuses at 13 to 16 weeks and 10 fetuses at 30 to 33 weeks of gestation were studied with abdominal 4D-US. After standard assessment in two dimensional (2D) real-time B mode, a 4D mode was switched on. Further examination lasted a maximum of 15 minutes.
Results: Isolated hand movement and subtypes of hand movements were easily recognized by 4D-US. The subtypes of hand to head movement are: hand to head, hand to mouth, hand near mouth, hand to face, hand near face, hand to eye and hand to ear. All subtypes of hand to head movement can be seen from 13 weeks of gestation, with fluctuating incidence.
Facial activities and different forms of expression are easily recognized by 4D-US. Among these, two types can be easily differentiated: smiling and scowling.
Conclusions: 4D-US is superior over real-time two-dimensional ultrasound (2D-US) for qualitative, but inferior for quantitative analysis of hand movements. Thus 4D-US makes it possible to determine exactly the direction of the fetal hand, but the exact number of each type of hand movements can still not be determined. 4D-US is superior over two- and three-dimensional sonography in the evaluation of complex facial activity and expression. Among facial activities observed by 4D-US, simultaneous eyelid and mouthing movements dominate between 30 and 33 weeks of gestation. Pure mouth movements such as mouth opening, tongue expulsion, yawning and pouting are present, but at a significantly lower incidence. Facial expressions such as smiling and scowling can be precisely observed using 4D-US.
Copyright © 2003 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
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- Author Index
- Subject Index
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- Gastrointestinal contrast studies in high-risk neonates with suspected necrotising enterocolitis – a note of caution
- Fatal intracranial hemorrhage in a pregnant patient with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura
- Pregnancy complicated with pure red cell aplasia: a case report
- Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII as a cause of recurrent non-immune hydrops fetalis
- Higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn after cesarean
- Congress Calendar
Articles in the same Issue
- Author Index
- Subject Index
- Contents
- MRI during pregnancy
- Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound in the assessment of the fetal central nervous system
- Maternal erythrocyte malondialdehyde level in preeclampsia prediction: a longitudinal study
- Effect of fetal macrosomia on human placental glucose transport and utilization in insulin-treated gestational diabetes
- Association between maternal-fetal Doppler velocimetry and fetal lung maturity
- Does the thrifty phenotype result from chronic glutamate intoxication? A hypothesis
- Fetal hand movements and facial expression in normal pregnancy studied by four-dimensional sonography
- Stable microbubble test and click test to predict respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants not requiring ventilation at birth
- Staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome in two very low birth weight infants
- Umbilical glutathione levels are higher after vaginal birth than after cesarean section
- Gastrointestinal contrast studies in high-risk neonates with suspected necrotising enterocolitis – a note of caution
- Fatal intracranial hemorrhage in a pregnant patient with autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura
- Pregnancy complicated with pure red cell aplasia: a case report
- Mucopolysaccharidosis type VII as a cause of recurrent non-immune hydrops fetalis
- Higher risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn after cesarean
- Congress Calendar
