Diagnosis and Management of Fetal Growth Restriction.pdfVIP

Hindawi Publishing Corporation Journal of Pregnancy Volume 2011, Article ID 640715, 15 pages doi:10.1155/2011/640715 Review Article Diagnosis and Management of Fetal Growth Restriction Jacqueline E. A. K. Bamfo1 and Anthony O. Odibo2 1 Obstetrics and Gynecology, London Deanery, London WC1B 5DN, UK 2 Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Ultrasound, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Washington University, Campus Box 8064, 4566 Scott Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA Correspondence should be addressed to Anthony O. Odibo, odiboa@ Received 14 September 2010; Revised 17 January 2011; Accepted 15 February 2011 Academic Editor: R. L. Deter Copyright © 2011 J. E. A. K. Bamfo and A. O. Odibo. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Fetal growth restriction (FGR) remains a leading contributor to perinatal mortality and morbidity and metabolic syndrome in later life. Recent advances in ultrasound and Doppler have elucidated several mechanisms in the evolution of the disease. However, consistent classification and characterization regarding the severity of FGR is lacking. There is no cure, and management is reliant on a structured antenatal surveillance program with timely intervention. Hitherto, the time to deliver is an enigma. In this paper, the challenges in the diagnosis and management of FGR are discussed. The biophysical profile, Doppler, biochemical and molecular technologies that may refine management are reviewed. Finally, a model pathway for the clinical management of pregnancies complicated by FGR is presented. 1. Introduction