Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 2, 2026

Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction
14:19

Fetal Echocardiography and Pulsed-wave Doppler Ultrasound in a Rabbit Model of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Published on: June 29, 2013

28.7K

Investigating fetal growth restriction and perinatal risks in appropriate for gestational age infants: using cohort

S Cnattingius1, M S Kramer2,3, M Norman4,5

  • 1Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska University Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

BJOG : an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|November 26, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Sibling birth weight data can identify fetal growth restriction in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. Comparing siblings reveals growth-restricted infants with normal birth weights, improving diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Medicine
  • Pediatric Epidemiology
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a critical condition where fetuses do not reach their growth potential.
  • Identifying FGR in appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants is challenging using population-based data alone.
  • Within-sibling analyses offer a powerful approach to control for unmeasured familial factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the association between birth weight percentiles and perinatal risks in AGA infants.
  • To compare population-based and within-sibling analyses for detecting FGR.
  • To determine if sibling birth weight data can improve the identification of FGR in AGA infants.

Main Methods:

  • A population-based cohort study using nationwide Swedish registries (1987-2012).
  • Inclusion of 2,134,924 singleton AGA births, with 1,377,326 identified as full siblings.
  • Unconditional and conditional (matched) Poisson regression models were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for stillbirth, neonatal mortality, and morbidity.

Main Results:

  • Stillbirth and neonatal mortality risks decreased with increasing birth weight percentiles, with more pronounced declines in within-sibling analyses.
  • The risk of stillbirth was significantly higher in the lowest birth weight percentile groups (10th to <25th) in within-sibling analyses (IRR: 2.60) compared to population analyses (IRR: 1.87).
  • Neonatal morbidity risks in term, non-malformed infants with low birth weight percentiles were primarily elevated in within-sibling analyses.

Conclusions:

  • Within-sibling analysis of birth weight is a valuable tool for identifying fetal growth restriction in AGA infants.
  • Comparing birth weights within sibling pairs can help detect growth-restricted infants who might otherwise be classified as having normal birth weights.
  • This approach enhances the precision of FGR diagnosis, particularly in cases with seemingly normal birth weights.
Abstract

Keywords:
Fetal growthneonatal morbidityneonatal mortalitysibling analysisstillbirth

More Related Videos

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

88.0K
An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells09:35

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

Published on: February 16, 2012

13.4K

Related Concept Videos

Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings01:29

Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings

Other adult family members and siblings play a crucial role in shaping children’s social and emotional development. While parents or primary caregivers are often the central figures in early attachment and socialization, other adults in a child’s life, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles, can significantly influence developmental outcomes. These influences depend on each adult’s personality and may help compensate when a primary caregiver is emotionally distant or...
193
Restriction Enzymes01:11

Restriction Enzymes

Restriction enzymes are bacterial enzymes used to cut DNA in a sequence-specific manner. To cleave DNA, they bind to specific palindromic sequences called restriction sites. Such palindromic DNA sequences or inverted repeats are commonly found in regions of functional significance, such as the origin of replication, gene operator sites, and regions containing transcription termination signals.
The host bacteria protect their own genomic DNA from these enzymes by methylating these sites. Some...
36.0K
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational01:22

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
5.0K
Relative Risk01:12

Relative Risk

Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.1K
Fetal Circulation01:14

Fetal Circulation

Fetal circulation is a unique system that facilitates the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products between the developing fetus and the mother. This intricate process takes place through a special organ called the placenta.
Two umbilical arteries transport blood from the fetus to the placenta. At the placenta, the blood absorbs oxygen and nutrients while simultaneously eliminating waste products. This oxygen-enriched and nutrient-rich blood then returns to the fetus through one...
3.0K
Aging01:26

Aging

Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
705