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Lees CC, Romero R, Stampalija T, Dall'Asta A, DeVore GA, Prefumo F, Frusca T, Visser GHA, Hobbins JC, Baschat AA, Bilardo CM, Galan HL, Campbell S, Maulik D, Figueras F, Lee W, Unterscheider J, Valensise H, Da Silva Costa F, Salomon LJ, Poon LC, Ferrazzi E, Mari G, Rizzo G, Kingdom JC, Kiserud T, Hecher K. Clinical Opinion: The diagnosis and management of suspected fetal growth restriction: an evidence-based approach. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:366-378. [PMID: 35026129 PMCID: PMC9125563 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.11.1357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
This study reviewed the literature about the diagnosis, antepartum surveillance, and time of delivery of fetuses suspected to be small for gestational age or growth restricted. Several guidelines have been issued by major professional organizations, including the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. The differences in recommendations, in particular about Doppler velocimetry of the ductus venosus and middle cerebral artery, have created confusion among clinicians, and this review has intended to clarify and highlight the available evidence that is pertinent to clinical management. A fetus who is small for gestational age is frequently defined as one with an estimated fetal weight of <10th percentile. This condition has been considered syndromic and has been frequently attributed to fetal growth restriction, a constitutionally small fetus, congenital infections, chromosomal abnormalities, or genetic conditions. Small for gestational age is not synonymous with fetal growth restriction, which is defined by deceleration of fetal growth determined by a change in fetal growth velocity. An abnormal umbilical artery Doppler pulsatility index reflects an increased impedance to flow in the umbilical circulation and is considered to be an indicator of placental disease. The combined finding of an estimated fetal weight of <10th percentile and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry has been widely accepted as indicative of fetal growth restriction. Clinical studies have shown that the gestational age at diagnosis can be used to subclassify suspected fetal growth restriction into early and late, depending on whether the condition is diagnosed before or after 32 weeks of gestation. The early type is associated with umbilical artery Doppler abnormalities, whereas the late type is often associated with a low pulsatility index in the middle cerebral artery. A large randomized clinical trial indicated that in the context of early suspected fetal growth restriction, the combination of computerized cardiotocography and fetal ductus venosus Doppler improves outcomes, such that 95% of surviving infants have a normal neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years of age. A low middle cerebral artery pulsatility index is associated with an adverse perinatal outcome in late fetal growth restriction; however, there is no evidence supporting its use to determine the time of delivery. Nonetheless, an abnormality in middle cerebral artery Doppler could be valuable to increase the surveillance of the fetus at risk. We propose that fetal size, growth rate, uteroplacental Doppler indices, cardiotocography, and maternal conditions (ie, hypertension) according to gestational age are important factors in optimizing the outcome of suspected fetal growth restriction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph C Lees
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Tamara Stampalija
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy; Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Andrea Dall'Asta
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Imperial College London, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom; Department of Medicine and Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Greggory A DeVore
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Federico Prefumo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tiziana Frusca
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Gerard H A Visser
- Department of Obstetrics, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - John C Hobbins
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - Ahmet A Baschat
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, John Hopkins Center for Fetal Therapy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Caterina M Bilardo
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Henry L Galan
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO; Colorado Fetal Care Center, Children's Hospital of Colorado, Aurora, CO
| | | | - Dev Maulik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, MO
| | - Francesc Figueras
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wesley Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, Houston, TX
| | - Julia Unterscheider
- Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Herbert Valensise
- University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Department of Surgery, Policlinico Casilino, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabricio Da Silva Costa
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, Gold Coast University Hospital, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Laurent J Salomon
- Obstétrique et Plateforme LUMIERE, Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades (AP-HP) et Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Liona C Poon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Enrico Ferrazzi
- Department of Woman, Child and Neonate, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Mari
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Health Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH
| | - Giuseppe Rizzo
- Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fondazione Policinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; The First I.M. Sechenov Moscow State Medical University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - John C Kingdom
- Placenta Program, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Torvid Kiserud
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Haukeland University Hospital, and Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Kurt Hecher
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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