The NICHD Fetal 3D Study: A Pregnancy Cohort Study of Fetal Body Composition and Volumes
11/2023
Journal Article
Authors:
Grantz, K. L.;
Lee, W.;
Chen, Z.;
Hinkle, S.;
Mack, L.;
Cortes, M. S.;
Goncalves, L. F.;
Espinoza, J.;
Gore-Langton, R. E.;
Sherman, S.;
He, D.;
Zhang, C.;
Grewal, J.
Volume:
193
Pagination:
580-595
Issue:
4
Journal:
Am J Epidemiol
PMID:
37946325
URL:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37946325
Keywords:
Pregnancy Female United States Humans Cohort Studies *National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (U.S.) Gestational Age *Prenatal Care Fetal Development Body Composition Ultrasonography, Prenatal
3D ultrasound fetal body composition fetal growth fetal volume
Abstract:
There's a paucity of robust normal fractional limb and organ volume standards from a large and diverse ethnic population. The Fetal 3D Study was designed to develop research and clinical applications for fetal soft tissue and organ volume assessment. The NICHD Fetal Growth Studies (2009-2013) collected 2D and 3D fetal volumes. In the Fetal 3D Study (2015-2019), sonographers performed longitudinal 2D and 3D measurements for specific fetal anatomic structures in research ultrasounds of singletons and dichorionic twins. The primary aim was to establish standards for fetal body composition and organ volumes, overall and by maternal race/ethnicity, and determine if these standards vary for twins versus singletons. We describe study design, methods and details about reviewer training. Basic characteristics of this cohort, with their corresponding distributions of fetal 3D measurements by anatomic structure, are summarized. This investigation is responsive to critical data gaps in understanding serial changes in fetal subcutaneous fat, lean body mass and organ volume in association with pregnancy complications. In the future, this cohort can answer critical questions regarding the potential influence of maternal characteristics, lifestyle factors, nutrition, and biomarker and chemical data on longitudinal measures of fetal subcutaneous fat, lean body mass and organ volumes.
