Outcomes of pregnancies and infants with Fetal Growth Restriction

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Outcomes of pregnancies and infants with Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR)

• IRAS ID

  260991

• Sponsor organisation

  Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 3 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a known cause of increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Identifying FGR on antenatal scans may influence an obstetrician's decision to deliver a baby early. This puts the infant at risk of medical complications or death due to prematurity but also low birth weight. There is no recent data on the risks of being born IUGR. The purpose of this study is to investigate the outcomes of pregnancies diagnosed with fetal growth restriction and to compare the outcomes of FGR with appropriately grown for gestational age (AGA) preterm infants.

  Abnormal blood flow across the placenta can put the infant at risk of chronic hypoxia (low oxygen levels in the tissues) in-utero leading to growth restriction. Other causes of FGR include maternal smoking and alcohol/drug use. Commonly, the developing fetus will prioritise blood flow to the brain and heart over other organs (e.g. gut, lungs, muscles, skin). Consequently these infants may not adjust well after birth, with hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar), clotting problems and difficulty with thermoregulation. They are also at increased risk of developing respiratory distress syndrome; feed intolerance or necrotising enterocolitis (a serious inflammatory disease to the gut); intraventricular haemorrhage (bleed on the brain) and sepsis. All of these factors may cause long-term neurodevelopmental problems for these infants.

  Badgernet neonatal platform is a national database which records the medical notes and discharge summaries for babies admitted to neonatal intensive care. We will identify all preterm babies admitted to three major neonatal units in London over 7 years, recording their medical outcomes until 2 years of age.

  The results of this study will highlight the present outcomes of pregnancies with FGR and FGR infants; which may help in future management decision making and counselling of parents.
  

• REC name

  London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  26/PR/0357

• Date of REC Opinion

  13 Apr 2026

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion