Decision support for fetal gestation age estimation

An inherent difficulty associated with the neonatal care domain is the uncertainty of the figure established for the chronological development (Gestational Age) of the fetus. This leads to difficulties when trying to match fetal subject parameters against established population metrics for standard fetal development. The Gestation Age (GA) metric can be grossly inaccurate, depending upon when in the pregnancy it is considered, and by what means of certainty it is established. The Gestation Age System is intended to provide a support tool for estimating Gestation Age and to establish accuracy indicators that will provide tolerances for its later use in growth and health evaluation. It provides to clinicians the ability to incorporate accuracy levels for the gestation age estimate and also to update the actual age estimate. This paper describes the Gestation Age System, outlining the Decision Support factors influencing its design.