- In studies of birthweight databases, SGA according to the customised growth potential (GROW) is more strongly associated than SGA by population standard with perinatal morbidity and mortality. Outcome measures included abnormal Doppler, intrapartum fetal distress, need for caesarean section, admission and length of stay in neonatal intensive care, as well as stillbirths and neonatal deaths (see review 10)
- The duration of the growth deficit is also linked with perinatal morbidity: morbidity is more severe with longer periods of slow growth in-utero 11
- A similar principle could be inferred from the findings of a case control study of birthweight and cerebral palsy: FGR at term was highly associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy (CP), whereas it did not increase the CP risk at early and late preterm delivery gestations 12.
10. Gardosi J, Francis A, Turner S, Williams M. Customized growth charts: rationale, validation and clinical benefits.
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018;218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2017.12.011
11. Illa M, Coloma JL, Eixarch E, Meler E, Iraola A, Gardosi J, et al. Growth deficit in term small-for-gestational fetuses with normal umbilical artery Doppler is associated with adverse outcome.
Journal of Perinatal Medicine. 2009 https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jpme.2009.37.issue-1/jpm.2009.003/jpm.2009.003.xml
12. Jacobsson B, Ahlin K, Francis A, Hagberg G, Hagberg H, Gardosi J. Cerebral palsy and restricted growth status at birth: population based case-control study. BJOG 2008; 115: 1250-5 http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2008.01827.x