Epidemiology
1. Represents 90% of Intrauterine Growth Retardation
2. Occurs in third trimester
Pathophysiology
1. Results from placental insufficiency
2. Intrauterine Growth Retardation with head sparing
3. Severe asymmetric IUGR may become Symmetric IUGR
4. Chronic Fetal Hypoxia
Complications
1. Fewer neurologic complications than Symmetric IUGR
2. Perinatal complications
  1. Polycythemia (hyperviscosity)
  2. Hypoglycemia
Specific Etiologies: Placental Insufficiency
1. Maternal Preeclampsia or Chronic Hypertension
2. Gestational Diabetes (Second most common cause IUGR)
3. Maternal Collagen Vascular Disease
4. Maternal Tobacco abuse
  1. Most common preventable cause of IUGR
  2. Birth weight reduced 200 grams if mother smokes
5. Maternal Infection

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 6/1/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.