Evaluation of fetal thymus size in pregnancies complicated with fetal growth restriction

Aim: To evaluate fetal thymus size using the thymic-thoracic ratio insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(TTR); in women with a pregnancy complicated with fetal growth restriction insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(FGR); and to assess the relationship with adverse perinatal outcomes. Materials and Method: A total of 35 pregnant women with FGR and 42 healthy pregnant women with similar demographic characteristics were included in this prospective study. In the FGR group, cases with pathological doppler flow parameters of absent end-diastolic flow insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(AEDF); in an umbilical artery and cerebroplacental ratio insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CPR); 0.05);. The fetal TTR was determined to be significantly lower in the FGR group than in the control group insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.37±0.02 [0.33-0.42] and 0.40±0.02 [0.36-0.45], p<0.001, respectively);. A statistically significant, negative moderate correlation was determined between fetal TTR and the EFW <3rd percentile, pathological doppler flow insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(AEDF and CPR<1); insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r= -0.703, r= -0.588, r= -0.383, r= -0.418 and p<0.001, p<0.001, p=0.023, p=0.012, respectively);. Conclusion: This is the first study to have evaluated the fetal TTR measurement in FGR-complicated pregnancies. A lower fetal TTR supports the relationship between FGR and fetal thymic involution. Moreover, fetal TTR might be a sonographic indicator for predicting adverse perinatal outcomes.