Fetal Growth Restriction

Fetal growth restriction is important as it may indicate that the baby is not receiving sufficient oxygen and nutrients for growth. This places the baby at an increased risk of health conditions involving the heart and blood vessels later in life, but also of dying before birth and so, depending on how many weeks into the pregnancy fetal growth restriction is picked up, a baby may need to be delivered early.

Being born with a low birth weight and/or prematurely can place a baby at an increased risk of many complications including distress during delivery, difficulties with breathing and feeding and at an increased risk of infections following delivery. These complications can place a baby at an increased risk of a brain injury during or following delivery.

Depending on the underlying cause of the fetal growth restriction, there may also be other associated complications for the baby before and after birth. For example, where the pregnant woman has diabetes, the baby will be prone to having low blood glucose or hypoglycaemia following delivery, which can increase the risk of harm to a baby who may also be struggling to feed in the first hours or days of life.

Some of the risk factors described above can be picked up in early pregnancy or prior to pregnancy.  For instance, a pregnant woman who is found not to have immunity to rubella during one pregnancy can be advised to have a rubella vaccination following delivery, and so can protect the baby in subsequent pregnancies from suffering from the harmful effects of a rubella infection. Medications that a pregnant woman takes during pregnancy can often be optimized to reduce the risk to the unborn baby. Pregnant women are also screened for high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy and treating and managing these conditions carefully can also help to reduce the risk to the unborn baby.

Once fetal growth restriction has been detected, additional tests can be done to establish any potential cause and it may be possible to make changes to help with the growth of the baby; for example, providing support with stopping smoking or dietary support.

At the point fetal growth restriction has been diagnosed, the baby needs to be monitored closely. This monitoring can include:

• advising the pregnant woman about counting kicks and movements;
• performing a non-stress test where the baby’s heart rate is carefully monitored;
• performing a biophysical profile which combines a non-stress test and an ultrasound to check measurements;
• performing doppler flow studies which is a type of ultrasound which can measure the movement of blood through the umbilical cord blood vessels.

In some circumstances, the treatment plan may be to deliver the baby early. This should be a decision made both by the health care professionals involved and the pregnant woman. If the plan is made to deliver a baby early then it should be planned so that it can take place in a hospital with the facilities and staff to care for a premature baby.

If your baby was affected by fetal growth restriction and has suffered a brain injury, and you have concerns over how you or your baby were cared for then please contact us – we would like to help. We have a team of experienced lawyers and medical specialists who can review the medical care you received and help answer your questions. We will provide you with the information and advice you need to make informed decisions about your child’s future and ensure your child’s rights are protected. Rest assured – the consultation is confidential and free of charge.