Determination of Embryonic and Fetal Age by Transrectal and Transabdominal Ultrasonographic Examination in Akkaraman Ewes

Abstract

This study was performed in order to determine gestational age in ewes by fetometry. For this purpose, a total of 10 Akkaraman ewes were examined by using ultrasonography supported by a linear array transducer. In order to find an equation to calculate the gestational age (GA) by using fetometric method, the parameters of diameter of embryonic vesicle (EVD), crown-rump length (CRL), occipito-nasal diameter (OND), biparietal diameter (BPD), orbital diameter (OD), thoracic diameter (TD), cotyledon diameter (CD), transversal heart diameter (THD), stomach diameter (SD) and kidney diameter (KD) were calculated. At the end of the study gestation age equations was produced depending on correlations which were statistically significant. In this sense, GA=25,131 + (0,375 × CRL) equation between CRL and GA, GA=23,155 + (0,993 × OND) equation between OND and GA, GA=20,862 + (1,715 × BPD) equation between BPD and GA, GA=22,187 + (3,895 × OD) equation between OD and GA, GA=25,634 + (1,259 × TD) equation between TD and GA, ln(GA)=ln(25,987) + (0,032 × CD) equation between CD and GA are produced according to linear model and GA=27,029 + (1,645 × SD) equation according to linear model and GA=141,569 - (5,916 × SD) + (0,123 × SD2) equation according to quadratic model are produced. As a result, it was shown that gestational age could be calculated by using these formulas. It was seen that OND, BPD, OD parameters were found to be most effectively 36-95 days to determine gestational age.