Intrauterine growth retardation: incidence, screening results, pregnancy outcome

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Neonatology
• Perinatal Medicine

Background:

• Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) poses significant immediate and long-term health risks to fetuses and neonates.
• The incidence of IUGR in the study population was approximately 9%.
• High perinatal mortality rates, approximately four times the general hospital rate, are associated with IUGR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a risk scoring system for screening intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).
• To assess the practicality and effectiveness of the developed screening tool for healthcare professionals.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study was conducted to identify variables for the risk scoring system.
• The final risk scoring system comprised 6 variables with a total score of 10.
• Sensitivity and negative predictive value were calculated to evaluate the screening performance.

Main Results:

• The developed risk scoring system demonstrated high sensitivity (91.18%) and a high negative predictive value (98.14%).
• The system was found to be a useful screening method for IUGR.
• Approximately 70% of IUGR infants were of the symmetrical type.

Conclusions:

• The validated risk scoring system is a practical and effective screening tool for intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).
• The tool's high sensitivity and negative predictive value support its utility across various healthcare provider experience levels.
• Effective screening for IUGR can potentially mitigate associated adverse perinatal outcomes.