Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

A friend of mine was telling me her doctor was concerned about ntrauterine growth restriction. It sounds very serious; what is it?
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.

Why is IUGR serious?
When the baby's weight is low, the risk of problems increases.
What causes intrauterine-growth restriction?
There are many conditions that increase the chance of IUGR:

maternal anemia
smoking during pregnancy
poor weight gain during pregnancy
vascular disease in the mother-to-be, including high blood pressure
kidney disease in the mother-to-be
alcoholism or drug abuse by the pregnant woman
multiple fetuses
infections in the fetus
abnormalities in the umbilical cord or the placenta
small size of mother-to-be (probably not a cause for alarm)

WAYS TO PREVENT A LOW BIRTHWEIGHT
To help avoid giving birth to a low birth weight baby, consider the following.

Gain enough weight during pregnancy. This may mean changing your body image and your eating habits.
Quit smoking before pregnancy, and avoid secondhand smoke during pregnancy.
Get prenatal care as soon as you discover you're pregnant. Keep all your prenatal appointments.
Follow your doctor's suggestions and instructions during your pregnancy.
If you're considering fertility treatment, understand the risks as well as the benefits of ART and multiple births.
Ask your doctor about screening for lower-genital-tract infections early in pregnancy.
Wait at least 18 months between delivery of one baby and conception of the next.

If a woman has one baby with IUGR, will her next baby be affected?
Research has shown that a previous delivery of a growth-restricted infant indicates it may happen in subsequent pregnancies.

How will my doctor know if my baby is too small?
Your doctor will usually find the problem by watching the growth of your uterus, using measurements of your uterus, weighing you and using ultrasound. If there is no change, IUGR is suspected. If you measure 10.8 inches (27.4cm) at 27 weeks of pregnancy and at 31 weeks, you measure only 11 inches (28cm), your doctor might become concerned about IUGR. This is one reason to keep all your prenatal appointments.

If IUGR is diagnosed, what can I do?
Your doctor will advise you to avoid anything that can make it worse. Stop smoking. Stop using drugs or alcohol. Eat nutritiously. You may need bed rest. This allows your baby to receive the best blood flow from you and thus the best nutrition.

What is the most serious risk to a baby with IUGR?
The greatest risk is stillbirth (death of the baby before delivery). To avoid this, it may be necessary to deliver the baby before full term.

If I have a baby with IUGR, will I have a C-section?
You may. Infants with IUGR may not tolerate labor well, so the possibility of a C-section increases due to fetal distress. The baby may be safer outside the uterus than inside, where there is a problem.