During your pregnancy, your midwife or doctor will monitor your baby’s growth to make sure they are growing at a healthy rate.
Detection and management of a baby that is not growing properly during pregnancy is a key strategy to prevent stillbirth.
Foetal growth restriction (FGR) is defined as a foetus who has not been able to achieve its full growth for its gestational age.
The size of your baby is not the only indicator for FGR. Small babies aren’t necessarily growth restricted. Likewise, large babies might have been restricted in their growth, and could have been bigger. When you attend your antenatal appointments your risk for FGR are checked. If a diagnosis is made, a plan for ongoing care throughout your pregnancy is discussed.
Research tells us that risks for FGR include:
- Maternal age
- IVF
- Single pregnancy
- Ethnicity
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Previous obstetric history
- Other risk factors like infection and illness
Red Nose recommends that women attend all their antenatal appointments, especially if they have any risk factors. Working with your healthcare providers will help keep you and your baby healthy and safe.
High risk women will be offered additional monitoring, as well as support to address any changeable risks, such as smoking.
Low risk women are still monitored closely, but more simple techniques can be used to help identify if their baby is at risk.
Most pregnancies are straight forward and end in the birth of a healthy baby. To help keep you and your baby as healthy as possible, ensure you eat well, gently exercise and stop smoking, drug and alcohol use.
For more information on your baby’s health during pregnancy, visit our advice hub.
Definitions
Foetal Growth Restriction (FGR): A foetus that has not reached its growth potential.
Early FGR: Foetal growth restriction diagnosed at less than 32w gestation.
Late FGR: Foetal growth restriction diagnosed at more than 32w gestation.
Severe FGR: A foetus that is less than 3rd centile when measured.
Small for gestational age (SGA): A foetus with an estimated fetal weight/birthweight less than 10th centile.
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