enlarged ventricle

Hello, my wife and I went for our routine ultrasound at 24 weeks and the doctor told us the measurments of the lateral ventricle was 8mm and the left 3mm, the doctor performed a level 3 ultrasound and found nothing abnormal, the doctor  told us that in his opinion the baby didnt have ventriculermegaly and that he was not worried. Earlier on at 20 weeks gestation the doctor measured the lateral ventricle at 7mm is it normal for the lateral ventricle to grow 1mm in one month? Thanks.

John Cunningham

[Yao Sun, MD, PhD]

10 mm is usually considered to be within the upper limits of normal for ventricular size (it is not considered to be hydrocephalus).  If no other abnormalities have been seen on ultrasound, 8 mm is still considered to be within normal limits.

I'm sure your Obstetrician will continue to follow the pregnancy closely and measure the growth of the lateral ventricles.  Some asymmetry of the ventricles is not uncommon, and is not alarming unless other abnormalities are found.