Clinical and epidemiological characterization of intrauterine growth restriction

Abstract

Introduction: Intrauterine growth restriction is a condition characterized by limitations of fetal growth potential. Its incidence is high in developing countries.

Objective: to describe the clinical and epidemiological situation of intrauterine growth restriction in patients at the “Cptan Roberto Rodríguez Fernández” General Teaching Hospital in Morón, from January 2019 to December 2021.

Methods: cross-sectional descriptive study in 73 patients diagnosed with intrauterine growth retardation. The variables were analyzed: types of delay, time of onset, age, parity, type of delivery, weight of the newborn, weeks of pregnancy, previous risk factors, diseases specific to and associated with pregnancy, municipality of origin, and Apgar score. The ethical principles of the research were complied with.

Results: intrauterine growth retardation manifested late in 69,87 % of cases; 78,08 % were type I. Of the women studied, 31,51 % were between 21 and 24 years old, 57,71 % were nulliparous, and 53,42 % had eutocic deliveries. The prevalent birth weight exceeded 2001 g (71,23 %); 72,61 % were 37 weeks or more pregnant. The most common pathological history was smoking (60,27 %), chronic hypertension (26,03 %) and gestational hypertension (24,66 %). Of the patients, 42,46 % were from the Morón municipality; of the neonates, 90,41 % had a normal Apgar score one minute after birth.

Conclusions: the majority of neonates had a late presentation and a normal Apgar score. The most frequent risk factors were: smoking, gestational and chronic arterial hypertension. Eutocic delivery predominated.