Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
Published on: June 29, 2013
Intrauterine growth restriction at term: induction or spontaneous labour? Disproportionate intrauterine growth
Marjan M L van den Hove1, Christine Willekes, Frans J M E Roumen
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Objective:
To test the hypothesis that in pregnancies with a clinically suspected growth restricted foetus at term, induction of labour is as safe as expectant management, and does not lead to increased obstetrical interventions or perinatal morbidity.
Study Design:
In one obstetric centre, 33 women with a clinically suspected growth restricted foetus at term were randomly allocated after stratification for parity to either induction or to expectant management. Obstetric and neonatal outcome variables were compared.
Results:
There was a lower gestational age at labour (median 38(0) weeks versus 40(1) weeks) with a corresponding tendency to lower birth weight (mean 2428 g versus 2651 g), and a reduced need for ante partum medical surveillance, in the induction group. No significant differences in obstetrical interventions (25% versus 24%) and neonatal morbidity rates (50% versus 35%) were found.
Conclusion:
A larger multicenter study with a sufficient power and long-term follow-up to decide the best policy for the term growth restricted foetus is feasible.