Growth of the human metatarsal bones in the fetal period (13-24 weeks postconception): a quantitative study.

We studied metatarsal growth in 600 metatarsal bones (60 pairs of feet) taken from 60 human fetuses (35 males and 25 females) ranging in age from 13 to 24 weeks postconception. The data obtained for the total length (TL) and for the ossified metatarsal length (OML) were correlated to fetal crown-rump length (C-R). The ossified metatarsal length presented a growth rate greater than the total length growth rate. There was no statistical difference between either the right and left metatarsals or males and females in total length and ossified metatarsal length growth during the period studied. We believe that metatarsal growth curves could be used to monitor fetal foot growth.