Cardiac size during prenatal development.

In this study, the cardiac circumference as measured in a four-chamber view was analyzed to determine its relationship to three linear, sonar measurements--biparietal diameter, femoral length, and abdominal circumference--and two sonographically derived fetal parameters--gestational age and estimated fetal weight. The results showed that the cardiac circumference correlates significantly with these direct and derived variables. It is recommended that the magnitude of the cardiac circumference as a function of any or all of these variables be used as an index of organ size when assessing fetuses at risk for anomalous cardiac development.