Intrauterine growth restriction

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Ultrasound, normal fetus - abdomen measurements	Ultrasound, normal fetus - arm and legs	Ultrasound, normal fetus - arms and legs	Ultrasound, normal fetus - face
Ultrasound, normal fetus - femur measurement	Ultrasound, normal fetus - foot	Ultrasound, normal fetus - head measurements	Ultrasound, normal fetus - profile view
Ultrasound, normal fetus - spine and ribs	Ultrasound, normal fetus - ventricles of brain

Intrauterine growth restriction describes a fetus whose weight is below the 10th percentile for gestational age.

Intrauterine growth retardation; IUGR

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) may be suspected if the size of the mother's uterus is small. The condition is usually confirmed by ultrasound. Many different things can lead to poor growth of a fetus.

An unborn baby may not get enough nutrition due to placenta problems, multiple pregnancies, heart disease in the mother, preeclampsia or eclampsia, and high altitudes.

Fetuses with congenital or chromosomal abnormalities are often associated with below-normal weight. Infections during pregnancy that affect the fetus, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, and syphilis, may also affect fetal weight.

Risk factors in the mother that may contribute to intrauterine growth retardation include poor nutrition, heart disease or high blood pressure, smoking, drug addiction, and alcohol abuse. If the mother is small, it may be normal for her to have a small fetus, but this is not due to IUGR.

Depending on the cause of IUGR, the fetus may be symmetrically small, or have a head that is normal size for gestational age, while the remainder of the fetus is growth restricted.

Review Date: 06/06/2006
Reviewed By: Audra Robertson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.