[Intrauterine growth restriction--diagnosis and treatment]

Abstract

The prevalence of low birth weight affects approximately 3-10% of live-born newborns in developed countries and in developing countries it affects 15-20% of newborns. The most common cause of low birth weight is considered to intrauterine fetal growth resctriction. Low birth weight is responsible for 69.6% of stillbirths and for 66.4% of neonatal deaths. The purpose of this paper is to review reliable scientific data in order to summarize the current guidelines on intrauterine fetal growth restriction, addressed to obstetricians. The present review is based on guidelines of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), the results of DIGITAT- (ang. The Disproportionate Growth intrauterine Intervention Trial At Term) PORTO Study- (ang. Prospective Observational Trial is the Opitimize Pedriatric Health in intrauterine Growth Restriction), TRUFFLE- (ang. Randomized Trial of Fetal and Umbilical Flow in Europe), and the available literature.