ABSTRACT
Antenatal diagnosis of fetal growth retardation is a problem for the obstetrician who must recognize not only the degree of retarded growth, but also, then ensure adequate treatment, and select the correct time and manner of delivery before the onset of intrauterine asphyxia. Based on the reports of small-for-date (SFD) infants who suffered hypoglycemia, and who have been followed for relatively brief period of time, approximately 33% with symptomatic hypoglycemia, and about 20% with asymptomatic hypoglycemia, have some sequelae in later life. Of 14 symptomatic polycythemic newborns, 29% had motor and/or mental retardation. In further study of 78 infants, with neonatal hyperviscosity syndrome, and followed for 1 to 3 years, 30% had gross motor delays, and neurologic abnormalities were present in 25%. However, in a prospective study of 96 SFD infants, it was shown that the later growth cannot be predicted by the degree of weight retardation, though it does bear a relationship to rate of growth in first 6 months.
