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Effects of intrauterine growth on intestinal length in the human fetus

D R Shanklin1, R J Cooke

  • 1Department of Pathology, Pediatrics, University of Tennessee, Memphis.

Biology of the Neonate
|January 1, 1993
PubMed

Insights

Fetal intestinal length correlates with growth, but is reduced in infants with intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR). This reduced length may indicate a smaller functional mass, potentially explaining poor weight gain in preterm or IUGR infants.

Area of Science:

  • Fetal development
  • Neonatal care
  • Gastrointestinal physiology

Background:

  • Establishing standards for human fetal intestinal length is crucial for managing preterm and intra-uterine growth-retarded (IUGR) infants.
  • Current data on fetal intestinal length standards are limited, impacting clinical care decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between intra-uterine growth parameters and human fetal intestinal length.
  • To determine if intestinal length differs between normally growing fetuses and those with IUGR.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 100 human infants was studied, with birth weights ranging from 76 to 4,385 g and gestational ages from 12 to 42 weeks.
  • Intestinal length (total, small, and large) was measured.
  • Infants were categorized based on birth weight and gestational age, with 21 identified as IUGR.

Main Results:

  • Fetal intestinal length demonstrated a significant positive correlation with birth weight, gestational age, and crown-heel length (p < 0.0001).
  • IUGR infants exhibited reduced intestinal length compared to normally growing fetuses.
  • The body weight to intestinal length ratio increased with gestation but was lower in IUGR infants.

Conclusions:

  • Decreased intestinal length in IUGR fetuses suggests a reduced functional mass.
  • A diminished body weight to intestinal length ratio may also indicate impaired fetal growth.
  • These findings suggest that reduced intestinal length could contribute to poor weight gain in very-low-birth-weight or IUGR infants.

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