Antenatal diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation by ultrasound.

Ultrasound estimation of fetal weight or ultrasound measurement of fetal abdomen alone enables identification of small-for-gestational-age fetuses. A prerequisite for this is a reliable dating of pregnancy, which is provided by a routine ultrasound screening in the first half of gestation. The fetal growth can be followed by serial fetometric measurements. As a standard, charts of intrauterine growth based on the ultrasonic measurement can be used. As a secondary diagnostic test for monitoring fetal health in pregnancies suspected of intrauterine growth retardation, Doppler ultrasound evaluation of fetal and uteroplacental hemodynamics provided useful for early detection of imminent fetal distress.