Differentiation of growth retarded from normally grown fetuses and prediction of intrauterine growth retardation using Doppler ultrasound

Objectives To assess the hypothesis that infants exhibiting catch-up growth as an indicator of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) have a higher incidence of predelivery abnormal Doppler results. Setting Obstetric unit, St James's University Hospital, Leeds. Participants One hundred and ninety-six women with singleton pregnancies at high risk of IUGR, delivered between October 1992 and August 1993. Main outcome measures Postnatal catch-up growth during the first seven months. Results Forty-six of the 196 infants demonstrated catch-up growth and were therefore classified as growth retarded; 85% of this group had had abnormal Doppler results prior to delivery, compared with 14% of the normally grown group. However, there is considerable overlap in birthweight ratio distribution between the two groups. Conclusion This study confirms the existence of a population of IUGR infants of average birthweight ratio. Doppler appears to distinguish IUGR (as defined by catch-up growth) from normal growth more successfully in infants with an average birthweight ratio than in infants with a low birthweight ratio and is a better predictor of IUGR than SGA.