Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is one of the most frequent but also the most complex pathologies that obstetricians face. It affects around 80,000 babies each year in France. But as this pathology is still poorly understood, only one in five babies is diagnosed before birth.
However, as the Prem’Up foundation (a foundation for scientific cooperation on pregnancy and prematurity), IUGR is the leading cause of death in babies and it is very often the cause of severe prematurity which causes disabilities in the child at birth.
A still poorly understood origin
“There is no consensual definition of the RCIU since from one country to another, variations in the weight of babies can be significant” underlines the Prem’Up foundation. But, globally this term is commonly used today. to describe small babies whose birth weight is among the smallest 10% of babies born at the same gestational age “.
The origin of this intrauterine growth retardation is still poorly understood, but it is most often the consequence of a malfunction of the placenta, which prevents good oxygenation and nutrition of the fetus. “But certain risk factors have been clearly identified such as smoking, malnutrition, drug use or certain pathologies of the mother such as hypertension or chronic kidney disease “.
A break in the baby’s weight curve can detect IUGR, but according to the Prem’Up Foundation, 4 out of 5 babies are not diagnosed until birth. The first ultrasound, between the 11th and 13th week of amenorrhea, is essential for establishing a diagnosis and setting up the best possible monitoring, explains Dr Danièle Evain-Brion, pediatrician and director of the foundation. The latter also warns about the low level of information of expectant mothers: one in two does not know what intrauterine growth retardation is.
To educate families and raise funds for research on RCIU, the Prem Up Foundation will organize a baby walk in Paris on June 15th.
