Age Estimation of Dead Foetus from Anthropology, Radiology of Femur & Humerus Bone

The estimation of gestational age (GA) of fetal remains can be an important forensic issue. Forensic specialists usually use reference tables and regression equations derived from reference collections, which are quite rare, when fetuses are concerned. There is a strong correlation between the longitudinal length of studied bones and GA.

This study is aimed at estimation of the age of the dead fetuses in Indian population on the basis of diaphyseal bone length measurements (femur and humerus) of 25 fetuses of known GA, measured ultrasonographically, using radiographs along with measurements done anthropologically, after dissection of foetal long bones.

The regression equation for the humerus and the femur bone were GA = MX + C. Here, GA is the gestational Age, X is the length of the long bone in mm, M is the regression curve and C is the constant.

The anthropological/ radiological GA coincided with ultrasonographic GA in 11 cases (44%) and with an error of ± 1week. GA of all the 25 cases lay within 95% confidence interval limit by both radiological and anthropological methods. Conclusion: It was concluded on analysis that radiological measurements are less significant as compared to anthropological measurements of both humerus and femur bones.