Intrauterine growth restriction

Intrauterine-growth restriction (IUGR) means a newborn baby is small for its age. By medical definition, the baby's weight is "below the 10th percentile" for the baby's gestational age. This means that 9 out of 10 babies of the same gestational age are larger.
In the past, the term "retardation" was used instead of "restriction." Because retardation in this sense does not apply to the development or function of the baby's brain, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists decided to change the term to reflect more accurately what happens to the baby. Today, intrauterine-growth restriction is the acceptable medical term.

Causes of Intrauterine-Growth Restriction
Conditions that increase the chance of IUGR include the following:
•    maternal anemia
•    maternal smoking during pregnancy
•    poor weight gain by the mother
•    maternal vascular disease, including high blood pressure
•    maternal kidney disease
•    alcoholism or drug abuse by the pregnant woman
•    multiple fetuses
•    fetal infections
•    abnormalities in the umbilical cord or the placenta
A small woman is more likely to have a small baby, but this would probably not be a cause for alarm. A woman who has previously delivered a very small baby is more likely to do so in subsequent pregnancies.

IUGR is usually suspected when the size of the uterus does not change over a period of time. If you measure 10.8 inches (27 cm) at 27 weeks of pregnancy and at 31 weeks you measure 11 inches (28 ern], your doctor might want to look into the situation.
Checking for IUGR is one important reason to keep all your prenatal appointments.

Risks with IUGR
The greatest risk associated with IUGR is stillbirth (the baby dies before delivery). Delivery of the baby before full term may be required to avoid this serious problem. The baby may be safer outside the uterus than inside. Because infants with IUGR often do not tolerate labor well, a Cesarean delivery is more likely.

HYDROCEPHALUS
Hydrocephalus causes an enlargement of the fetus's head. It occurs in about 1 in 2,000 babies and is responsible for about 12% of all severe fetal malformations found at birth.
The organization and development of the brain and central nervous system of the baby begin early. Cerebral spinal fluid circulates around the brain and spinal cord, and must be able to flow without restriction. If openings are blocked and the flow of fluid is restricted, it can cause hydrocephalus (sometimes called water on the brain). Fluid accumulates, and the baby's head becomes enlarged.
Hydrocephalus is only a symptom, and it can have several causes.
Once hydrocephalus is diagnosed, a cause is sought; these include spina bifida, meningomyelocele and omphalocele. Sometimes intrauterine therapy-therapy performed while the fetus is still in the uterus-is possible. See the discussion in the following section.