Assessment of foetal growth retardation: small for gestational age

Abstract

Growth retardation cannot be described by a single weight measure because, birth weight is dependant on both duration of gestation and intrauterine growth rate. It has also been shown that foetal weight is dependant on constitutional as well as pathological factors. Constitutional factors include maternal height, weight, parity, ethnicity and foetal sex. When assessing foetal growth retardation, it is important to consider constitutional factors as well. Of the different assessments developed small for gestational age defined based on the customised birth weight standards assess foetal growth retardation more accurately.