Intrautrine Growth Restriction - IUGR

Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol. 1999 Feb;13(2):86-9.

Fetal growth rate and adverse perinatal events.
de Jong CL, Francis A, van Geijn HP, Gardosi J.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Objectives:

To study fetal weight gain and its association with adverse perinatal events in a serially scanned high-risk population. SUBJECTS AND

Methods:

A total of 200 pregnant women considered at increased risk of uteroplacental insufficiency had a total of 1140 scans in the third trimester, with a median of six scans in each pregnancy. The average fetal growth rate was retrospectively calculated for the last 6 weeks to birth, and expressed as daily weight gain in grams per day. Adverse pregnancy outcome was defined as operative delivery for fetal distress, acidotic umbilical artery pH (< 7.15), or admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Results:

Fetuses with normal outcome in this high-risk pregnancy population had an average antenatal growth rate of 24.2 g/day. Compared to pregnancies with normal outcome, the growth rate was slower in those that required operative delivery for fetal distress (20.9 g/day, p < 0.05) and those that required admission to the NICU (20.3 g/day, p < 0.05). The growth rate in pregnancies resulting in acidotic umbilical artery pH also seemed lower, but this did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions:

Impaired fetal weight gain prior to birth is associated with adverse perinatal events suggestive of growth failure.