Fetal ultrasonography: Normal biometric ranges in the baboon (Papio hamadryas)

Abstract

Normal biometric ranges for fetal growth in a captive breeding baboon (Papio hamadryas) colony are described. Measurements include crownrump length, biparietal diameter, binocular distance, head circumference, abdominal circumference, femur length and amniotic fluid index. The pattern of fetal growth is compared with other baboon subspecies and man. The uses and limitations of such data for breeding colony management and optimum utilisation of experimentally derived data are discussed.

Sonographic biometrical normograms and estimation of fetal weight in the baboon (Papio anubis)

“…The current findings in the baboon fetuses are mainly confirming the biometric data that were reported earlier in Papio anubis by Farine et al [6] and Herring et al [11], and in Papio hamadryas by Devonald et al in 1996 [5].…”

Fetal ultrasonography: biometric data from four African primate species

“…The BPD curve established in mandrills is the first reported for this species, although similar data have been collected in related species, such as baboons. It is interesting to note that curves previously published for Papio anubis [6] and Papio hamadryas [3] are nearly identical to those obtained for mandrills (Fig. 6A), suggesting that other fetal biometric parameters established in baboons could be extrapolated to mandrills.…”

“…6A), suggesting that other fetal biometric parameters established in baboons could be extrapolated to mandrills. As noted by Devonald et al in baboons [3], BPD values in mandrills tend to disperse toward the end of pregnancy (Fig. 3A), a phenomenon possibly related to the sex of the young (males are larger than females) or to parity (multiparas have larger young than nulliparas).…”

“…It can be used to determine the date of conception and gestational age, to estimate the date of parturition, and to detect placental and fetal abnormalities [9]. Ultrasonographic measurement of fetal biometric parameters, a routine procedure in humans, has been applied to many non‐human primate species such as macaques [13], baboons [3, 6] and apes [9, 16, 18].…”

The baboon (Papio sp.) as a model for female reproduction studies

“…Gestation length is approximately 163–185 days [6, 8, 9, 19, 23, 24, 25.] Standard biometric ultrasound measurements are available to determine gestational age and growth profiles of fetuses [26, 27, 28, 29.] Infants are born more developed than humans, but depend on their dams for care and nutrition up to and beyond weaning.…”