What to Do if Baby Is Small During Pregnancy

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Information from Your Family unit Doctor

Intrauterine Growth Restriction: When Your Baby Stops Growing Before Birth

Am Fam Physician. 1998 Aug 1;58(ii):466-467.

See related article on intrauterine growth brake.

What is intrauterine growth restriction?

Intrauterine growth restriction ("IUGR," for brusk) is a term for a babe who is smaller than normal during pregnancy. The infant is non growing inside the uterus at the normal charge per unit. These babies unremarkably have a low weight at birth.

What causes IUGR?

IUGR has diverse causes. The most mutual cause is a problem in the placenta (the tissue that carries food and blood to the baby). Nativity defects and genetic disorders tin can cause IUGR. If the mother has an infection, high blood pressure level, is smoking, or drinking likewise much booze or abusing drugs, her baby might have IUGR. Sometimes a prescribed medicine that the mother is taking causes IUGR.

Did I cause this trouble?

Most of the causes of IUGR are beyond your command. Usually, zero the female parent did causes IUGR in her baby. But if you fume cigarettes, potable alcohol or abuse drugs, yous tin cause IUGR in your babe.

Do all pocket-size babies have IUGR?

No. Well-nigh one third of the babies who are small at nascence have IUGR. The rest of them don't take IUGR—they're merely smaller than normal. Just like at that place are dissimilar sizes of infants, children and adults, there are likewise different sizes of babies in the uterus. Small babies tend to run in families. The parents or other children in the family may have been pocket-sized when they were built-in, too.

How volition I know if my baby is merely small or has IUGR?

During your pregnancy, your medico volition do tests to detect out if your babe is growing normally. The principal test for checking a baby's growth in the uterus is an ultrasound. The ultrasound exam lets your dr. see your baby in your uterus with an instrument that is moved across your belly (abdomen).

When the ultrasound exam is done, your doctor volition mensurate the size of your baby's head, belly and legs. These measurements volition tell you and your doctor if your infant is growing normally. Your medico will also discover out the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus. In some babies with growth restriction, the amount of amniotic fluid is low. If your infant is pocket-size, ultrasound exams may exist done more than frequently than usual to check your babe's health.

Are at that place other tests I might have?

Ane test is fetal monitoring. It's a way to bank check your baby's health inside your womb. Straps are put over your uterus as you lie down for well-nigh 30 minutes. Yous will hear your infant's heart beat out as it is recorded. Your doctor can look at the heartbeat recording and see if your baby's heartbeat is normal.

You might as well accept an amniocentesis. A needle is put through your stomach area into your uterus. A few teaspoons of amniotic fluid are withdrawn in the needle. The fluid is tested to see if it shows the cause of the IUGR. The amniotic fluid might bear witness genetic problems or infection.

If my baby has IUGR, will I have to give nascence early on?

Perchance not. The time of delivery depends on how well your babe is doing. Sometimes, babies with IUGR keep on growing in the uterus. If your babe keeps gaining some weight, an early on delivery (before the due appointment) may not be needed. Just if your infant is not growing at all or has other problems, your doctor may decide that an early on delivery could aid. In this case, your doc may want to induce labor. Your baby's heart rate and movements will exist closely watched to help you and your doctor brand this determination.

Will I need to take a cesarean section?

If there are no signs of problems with your babe during labor, a vaginal delivery is OK. Some babies with IUGR are weak. The stress of labor and delivery may be too much for a weak baby. If your baby has problems during labor, a cesarean section (also called a C section) may be safer.

If I have another infant, will that infant too take IUGR?

Generally, no. IUGR usually doesn't occur in another pregnancy. Simply in some women, it does happen over again. Women who have some other pregnancy affected by IUGR usually take an illness, such as hypertension, that causes IUGR. Practiced control of illnesses before and during pregnancy lowers the chance of having another babe with IUGR.

Will my baby demand to stay in the hospital longer than usual?

Probably, particularly if your baby was born early. Babies who are pocket-size at birth need to stay in the hospital until they can breathe and feed normally. Afterwards your babe is born, the physician will cheque your infant's weight to make sure the baby is growing. By and large, babies stay in the hospital until they counterbalance nigh five pounds.

Will my infant abound upward to be normal in peak?

Yes. Your baby volition probably catch up in size and accept a normal height by about ii years of age.

What can I practise to help my infant while I'k pregnant?

The best mode to help your infant is to pay attention to your baby'south movements. Make sure your infant is moving every day. A babe who moves effectually often is ordinarily healthy. A infant who doesn't move very often or who stops moving may be sick. If you observe your baby isn't moving as much, telephone call your doc.

Another way y'all can assistance your babe is to get a lot of rest. Residue may assistance y'all feel better. It may even aid your baby abound. Attempt to become 8 hours of sleep (or more) each night. An hour or 2 of rest in the afternoon is also good for you. Your doctor may even desire you to become to the infirmary to make certain y'all residue. The hospital staff will keep a close heart on you and your baby.

Finally, if you lot smoke, drink alcohol or utilise drugs, stop now. These things can hurt your baby. This may be all that is needed to improve your baby'due south health, as well as your own.

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This handout is provided to you by your family doc and the American University of Family Physicians. Other health-related information is available from the AAFP online at http://familydoctor.org.

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject field.

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