Perinatal outcome in growth retarded pregnancies dated by ultrasound

To analyse the incidence of fetal growth retardation and its impact on perinatal mortality and neonatal morbidity, pregnancies complicated by intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) were compared with matched non-IUGR pregnancies. The IUGR group included all infants born in the city of Malmö during the study period and having a birthweight of 2 standard deviations or more below the mean birthweight for gestational age. The gestational age of all pregnancies was assessed with ultrasound in the first half of pregnancy. The IUGR fetuses were more vulnerable during delivery, and emergency cesarean section due to imminent fetal asphyxia was performed more frequently, but Apgar scores were similar in both groups. The frequency of respiratory disorders was lower in the IUGR group than in the non-IUGR group when corticosteroid-treated pregnancies were excluded. The IUGR group required slightly longer care on the neonatal ward than the non-IUGR group, but not more intervention. The IUGR group as a whole had an unexpectedly low neonatal complication rate, such complications as did occur being related to preterm birth rather than to growth retardation.