Relationship between placental thickness in early and late third-trimester ultrasound with neonatal weight and pregnancy outcomes: A descriptive and prospective study

Abstract

Background: The placenta plays a vital role in sustaining the developing foetus. Ultrasound measurement of placental thickness may correlate with birth weight and neonatal outcomes. Adverse neonatal outcomes may be seen when the placenta is abnormally thick or thin. There is a need to evaluate the correlation of placental thickness with birth weight and neonatal outcomes in order to institute appropriate measures to forestall untoward effects on the foetus.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between placental thickness at the early and late third trimester and neonatal outcomes.

Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 187 participants to assess the relationship between ultrasound measurement of placental thickness at 28–30 weeks and 36–38 weeks of gestation and followed-up for assessment of neonatal outcomes. Participants were recruited by the consecutive sampling method. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 24. Categorical variables were presented as numbers and percentages, as well as means and standard deviations for continuous variables. Correlations of variables were calculated using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). A P value of ≤0.05 was statistically significant.

Results: Out of the 187 participants, 57.2% of the participants were multipara. The incidence of thick placenta was 5.4%. At 28–30 weeks, 82% of the placentae were of normal thickness and 80% were of normal thickness at 36–38 weeks. There was a positive correlation between placental thickness and birth weight, which was statistically significant, but there was no relationship with other neonatal outcome measures.

Conclusion: Ultrasound measurement of placental thickness correlates well with low birth weight and adverse neonatal outcomes.