A randomized controlled trial in a hospital population of ultrasound measurement screening for the small for dates baby. [Therapy of suspected intrauterine fetal retardation]. The effect of bedrest in hospital on fetal outcome in pregnancies complicated by intra-uterine growth retardation. Effects of voucher-based incentives on abstinence from cigarette smoking and fetal growth among pregnant women.
Poor fetal growth is an important cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. Based on the hypothesis that early diagnosis of fetal growth problems leads to more appropriate management and therefore, improved outcome, a randomized controlled trial of ultrasound measurement was performed on 1,528 women booked through a hospital antenatal clinic. This compared a number of perinatal outcomes between the group who had a routine 2-stage examination (early dating and 34-week scan) and a group who had only a dating scan and then additional scans as generated by their clinical situations. No significant differences could be found between the groups when these perinatal outcomes were considered. These results mirror previously published randomized controlled trials. Selection of women for third trimester ultrasound examination for suspected fetal growth problems should be based on careful clinical assessment and should not be routine. In a randomized prospective study, performed on 45 pregnancies with clinical and sonographic suspicion for intrauterine fetal growth retardation, examinations were done to evaluate the therapeutic effect of bed rest and of additional daily administered glucose infusions or oral galactose applications respectively on the fetal growth, the hemodynamic, respiratory and endocrine insufficiency of the materno-feto-placental unit as well as selected biochemical parameters of the umbilical blood. There is no positive therapeutic effect, either on the impaired endocrine partial function nor on the reduced respiratory function of the feto-placental unit. It is obvious, that despite the improvement of the nutritional supply of the fetus and the revival of the regular fetal growth, the previous lack of fetal growth can not be altered. This can be demonstrated in all three therapeutic groups due to the fact of a resulting high hypotrophy-rate of the newborns. The results prove that the additional supply of the fetus with glucose or galactose does not remarkably improve the therapeutic effectivity as opposed by strict bed rest alone. A prospective study was made to evaluate whether bedrest in hospital is beneficial in pregnancies where intra-uterine growth retardation (IUGR) was suspected. Diagnosis was based on routine fetometry at 32 weeks of gestation, in conjunction with general ultrasound screening. 107 patients with suspected IUGR-pregnancies were divided into two groups, 49 in a hospital bedrest group and 58 in an 'out-patient' group. Fifteen women in the bedrest group refused hospitalization, and 8 women in the out-patient group had to be hospitalized for medical reasons other than suspected growth retardation, leaving 79% of the women in their allocated group. The women in the bedrest group were hospitalized for a mean duration of 29.2 days (range 5-54). The results suggest that bedrest in hospital is not beneficial, either to fetal growth or to pregnancy outcome. This study examined whether voucher-based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) contingent upon smoking abstinence during pregnancy is an effective method for decreasing maternal smoking during pregnancy and improving fetal growth.
                A two-condition, parallel-groups, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a university-based research clinic. A total of 82 smokers entering prenatal care participated in the trial.
                Participants were assigned randomly to either contingent or non-contingent voucher conditions. Vouchers exchangeable for retail items were available during pregnancy and for 12 weeks postpartum. In the contingent condition, vouchers were earned for biochemically verified smoking abstinence; in the non-contingent condition, vouchers were earned independent of smoking status.
                Smoking outcomes were evaluated using urine-toxicology testing and self-report. Fetal growth outcomes were evaluated using serial ultrasound examinations performed during the third trimester.
                Contingent vouchers significantly increased point-prevalence abstinence at the end-of-pregnancy (41% versus 10%) and at the 12-week postpartum assessment (24% versus 3%). Serial ultrasound examinations indicated significantly greater growth in terms of estimated fetal weight, femur length and abdominal circumference in the contingent compared to the non-contingent conditions.
                These results provide further evidence that VBRT has a substantive contribution to make to efforts to decrease maternal smoking during pregnancy and provide new evidence of positive effects on fetal health.
There is not enough evidence to evaluate the use of nutrient therapy for suspected impaired fetal growth. The studies were too small to assess clinical outcomes adequately.