Intrauterine growth restriction

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Intrauterine growth restriction

Classification and external resources

Micrograph of villitis of unknown etiology, aplacental pathology associated with IUGR. H&E stain. ICD-10 ICD-9 DiseasesDB MedlinePlus eMedicine MeSH P05.9 764.9 6895 001500 article/261226 D005317

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) refers to poor growth of a baby while in the mother's womb during pregnancy. The causes can be many, but most often involve poor maternal nutrition or lack of adequate oxygen supply to the fetus.

At least 60% of the 4 million neonatal deaths that occur worldwide every year are associated with low birth weight (LBW), caused by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm delivery, and genetic/chromosomal abnormalities,[1] demonstrating that under-nutrition is already a leading health problem at birth. Intrauterine growth restriction can result in baby being Small for Gestational Age(SGA), which is most commonly defined as a weight below the 10th percentile for thegestational age.[2] At the end of pregnancy, it can result in a low birth weight.

Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical[edit]

There are 2 major categories of IUGR: symmetrical and asymmetrical.[3][4] Some conditions are associated with both symmetrical and asymmetrical growth restriction. Asymmetrical IUGR is more common. In asymmetrical IUGR, there is restriction of weight followed by length. The head continues to grow at normal or near-normal rates (head sparing). A lack of subcutaneous fat leads to a thin and small body out of proportion with the head. This is a protective mechanism that may have evolved to promote brain development. In these cases, the embryo/fetus has grown normally for the first two trimesters but encounters difficulties in the third, usually secondary to pre-eclampsia. Other symptoms than the disproportion include dry, peeling skin and an overly-thin umbilical cord. The baby is at increased risk of hypoxia andhypoglycaemia. This type of IUGR is most commonly caused by extrinsic factors that affect the fetus at later gestational ages. Specific causes include:

Chronic high blood pressure Severe malnutrition Genetic mutations, EhlersDanlos syndrome

Symmetrical IUGR is less common and is more worrisome. It is less commonly known as global growth restriction, and indicates that the fetus has developed slowly throughout the duration of the pregnancy and was thus affected from a very early stage. The head circumference of such a newborn is in proportion to the rest of the body. Since most neurons are developed by the 18th week of gestation, the fetus with symmetrical IUGR is more likely to have permanent neurological sequela. Common causes include:

Early intrauterine infections, such as cytomegalovirus, rubella or toxoplasmosis Chromosomal abnormalities Anemia Maternal substance abuse (prenatal alcohol use can result in Fetal alcohol syndrome)

Causes[edit]
Maternal[edit]

pre-pregnancy weight and nutritional status poor weight gain during pregnancy poor nutrition anemia alcohol and/or drug use maternal smoking recent pregnancy pre-gestational diabetes gestational diabetes pulmonary disease

cardiovascular disease renal disease hypertension

Uteroplacental[edit]

preeclampsia multiple gestation uterine malformations Placental insufficiency

Fetal[edit]

chromosomal abnormalities Vertically transmitted infections

Pathophysiology[edit]
If the cause of IUGR is extrinsic to the fetus (maternal or uteroplacental), transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus is decreased. This causes a reduction in the fetus stores of glycogen and lipids. This often leads to hypoglycemia at birth. Polycythemia can occur secondary to increased erythropoietin production caused by the chronic hypoxemia. Hypothermia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia,hypocalce mia, and pulmonary hemorrhage are often results of IUGR. If the cause of IUGR is intrinsic to the fetus, growth is restricted due to genetic factors or as a sequela of infection.

Neurological Development Postpartum[edit]

IUGR is associated with a wide range of short- and longterm neurodevelopmental disorders

Cerebral Changes[edit]
white matter effects In postpartum studies of infants, it was shown that there was a decrease of the fractal dimension of the white matter in IUGR

infants at one year corrected age. This was compared to at term and preterm infants at one year adjusted corrected age. grey matter effects Grey matter was also shown to be decreased in infants with IUGR at one year corrected age.

Neural Circuitry and Brain Networks[edit]

Children with IUGR are often found to exhibit brain reorganization including neural circuitry.[5] Reorganization has been linked to learning and memory differences between children born at term and those born with IUGR.[6] Studies have shown that children born with IUGR had lower IQ. They also exhibit other deficits that point to [frontal lobe] dysfunction. IUGR infants with brain-sparing show accelerated maturation of the hippocampus which is responsible for memory.[7] This accelerated maturation can often lead to uncharacteristic development that may compromise other networks and lead to memory and learning deficiencies.

Outcomes and clinical significance[edit]

IUGR affects 3-10% of pregnancies. 20% of stillborn infants have IUGR. Perinatal mortality rates are 4-8 times higher for infants with IUGR, and morbidity is present in 50% of surviving infants. According to the theory of thrifty phenotype, intrauterine growth restriction triggers epigenetic responses in the fetus that are otherwise activated in times of chronic food shortage. If the offspring actually develops in an environment rich in food it may be more prone to metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type II diabetes.[8]