Intrauterine growth restriction
Updates to Article Attributes
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is commonly defined as an estimated fetal weight (EFW) at one point in time during pregnancy being at or below the 10th percentile for gestational age 2.
Some authors define the term IUGR when fetal biometric parameters fall under the 5th percentile or fall below two standard deviations 12.
Some authors consider this definition synonymous with the term small for gestational age (SGA).
An IUGR can be broadly divided into two main types:
- type I: symmetrical intrauterine growth restriction
- type II: asymmetrical intrauterine growth restriction
Some authors also enlist a 3rd type termed: femur sparing-sparing intrauterine growth restriction 10.
Epidemiology
By its standard definition itself, it carries a prevalence of 10% of all births (if the 5th centile is used it will affect 5% of all births instead).
Pathology
Causes
IUGR can result from a vast number of causes:
- maternal conditions
- maternal
narcoticnarcotics/smoking - maternal alcohol use : fetal alcohol syndrome
- maternal diabetes: when severe maternal diabetes, there can be a paradoxical IUGR as opposed to fetal macrosomia
- maternal malnutrition/starvation
- maternal vascular conditions
- certain medications
- maternal
- placental insufficiency: commonest cause overall
- other placental causes
- increased incidence with a single umbilical artery
- fetal conditions
- multifetal pregnancy
- intrauterine infections
-
chromosomal anomalies
- trisomy 13
- trisomy 18
- triploidy: IUGR is of early onset
- Down syndrome: not a dominant feature
-
chromosome 4p deletion syndrome (Wolf-Hirschhorn
Syndromesyndrome) -
chromosome 12p tetrasomy (Pallister-Killian
Syndromesyndrome)
- confined placental mosaicism (CPM) 13
- other syndromic anomalies
- in utero substance exposure
Radiographic features
Antenatal ultrasound
Sonographic parameters include:
-
non-Doppler features
- presence of oligohydramnios without ruptured membranes
- increased head circumference (HC) to abdominal circumference (AC) ratio (in asymmetrical type)
- decreased total intrauterine volumes
- advanced placental grade
-
Doppler features: will require a chart to calculate absolute values
-
umbilical artery Doppler assessment
- increased S/D ratio(s)
- increased resistive index (RI)
-
umbilical venous Doppler assessment
- presence of pulsatility
-
uterine arterial Doppler assessment
- presence of notching in mid to late pregnancy
- increased S/D ratio(s)
-
umbilical artery Doppler assessment
Complications
TheyThere are many which includeincluding:
- antepartum
- stillbirth
- iatrogenic prematurity
- abruption
- perinatal stroke
- intrapartum
- abnormal fetal status (fetal heart rate tracing)
- asphyxia
- emergency Caesarean section
- need for active neonatal resuscitation
- perinatal stroke
- neonatal
- hypothermia
-
hypoglycemiahypoglycaemia -
hypocalcemiahypocalcaemia -
polycythemiapolycythaemia - sepsis
- coagulopathy
- hepatocellular dysfunction
- respiratory distress syndrome
- necrotizing enterocolitis
- intraventricular
hemorrhagehaemorrhage, especially in premature IUGR neonates < 750;750 g - hypoxic
-ischemic-ischaemic encephalopathy
- paediatric
- increased risk of:
- short stature
- cerebral palsy
- developmental delay
- behavioural and emotional problems
- lower IQ scores
- chronic lung disease
- future cardiovascular disease and hypertension
- increased risk of:
Treatment and prognosis
While there is no cure, management is reliant on a structured antenatal surveillance program with timely intervention in order to minimize fetal compromise.
Differential diagnosis
General considerations include:
- incorrect dates
See also
-</ul><p>Some authors also enlist a 3<sup>rd</sup> type termed: <a href="/articles/femur-sparing-intrauterine-growth-restriction">femur sparing intrauterine growth restriction</a> <sup>10</sup>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>By its standard definition itself, it carries a prevalence of 10% of all births (if the 5<sup>th</sup> centile is used it will affect 5% of all births instead).</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Causes</h5><p>IUGR can result from a vast number of causes:</p><ul>- +</ul><p>Some authors also enlist a 3<sup>rd</sup> type termed: <a href="/articles/femur-sparing-intrauterine-growth-restriction">femur-sparing intrauterine growth restriction</a> <sup>10</sup>.</p><h4>Epidemiology</h4><p>By its standard definition itself, it carries a prevalence of 10% of all births (if the 5<sup>th</sup> centile is used it will affect 5% of all births instead).</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Causes</h5><p>IUGR can result from a vast number of causes:</p><ul>
-<li>maternal narcotic/smoking</li>-<li>maternal alcohol use : <a title="Fetal alcohol syndrome" href="/articles/fetal-alcohol-syndrome">fetal alcohol syndrome</a>- +<li>maternal narcotics/smoking</li>
- +<li>maternal alcohol use : <a href="/articles/fetal-alcohol-syndrome">fetal alcohol syndrome</a>
-<a href="/articles/chromosome-4p-deletion-syndrome">chromosome 4p deletion syndrome</a> (Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome)</li>- +<a href="/articles/chromosome-4p-deletion-syndrome">chromosome 4p deletion syndrome</a> (Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome)</li>
-<a href="/articles/pallister-killian-syndrome-1">chromosome 12p tetrasomy</a> (<a href="/articles/pallister-killian-syndrome-1">Pallister-Killian Syndrome</a>)</li>- +<a href="/articles/pallister-killian-syndrome-1">chromosome 12p tetrasomy</a> (<a href="/articles/pallister-killian-syndrome-1">Pallister-Killian syndrome</a>)</li>
-<li><a href="/articles/cornelia-de-lange-syndrome-2">Cornelia de Lange Syndrome</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/cornelia-de-lange-syndrome-2">Cornelia de Lange syndrome</a></li>
-<li><a href="/articles/russell-silver-dwarfism-1">Silver-Russel Syndrome</a></li>- +<li><a href="/articles/russell-silver-dwarfism-1">Silver-Russel syndrome</a></li>
-</ul><h4>Complications</h4><p>They are many which include:</p><ul>- +</ul><h4>Complications</h4><p>There are many including:</p><ul>
-<li>stillbirth </li>-<li>iatrogenic prematurity </li>-<li>abruption </li>- +<li>stillbirth</li>
- +<li>iatrogenic prematurity</li>
- +<li>abruption</li>
-<li>hypoglycemia </li>-<li>hypocalcemia </li>-<li>polycythemia </li>- +<li>hypoglycaemia </li>
- +<li>hypocalcaemia </li>
- +<li>polycythaemia </li>
-<li>intraventricular hemorrhage, especially in premature IUGR neonates < 750 g </li>-<li>hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy</li>- +<li>intraventricular haemorrhage, especially in premature IUGR neonates <750 g </li>
- +<li>hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy</li>
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