3-D Ultrasound Identifies Women at Risk for Impending Preterm Birth

To help physicians non-invasively identify women at risk for preterm birth, 3-D ultrasound was used to measure the size of fetal adrenal glands, according to an abstract presented by Yale School of Medicine researchers at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Conference February 8 in San Francisco. Preterm birth is a major public health problem with lasting repercussions on families and society. The authors found that the ultrasound measurements could identify a preterm risk of delivery within five days of the measurement.