The consequences of intrauterine growth retardation: what do we know?
This paper restricts itself to a discussion of the development of term infants born small, and presumed to have suffered fetal malnutrition. They form a subgroup of low birth weight infants, and have been sparsely studied to date. Investigations have usually failed to differentiate between the kinds of fetal undergrowth exhibited at birth, and it is clear that further understanding of the processes and consequences of early behaviour based on clear categorization of the growth retardation is needed. This together with more systematic investigation of the characteristics of the families of these infants is required before effective efforts can be made to ameliorate the potential effects of fetal malnutrition. The evidence so far suggests that the development of small for gestational age infants is susceptible to environmental intervention despite its physical origins; however we are far from understanding the aetiology and the precise consequences of this complex phenomenon.
Watt
J
J
Department of Psychology, University of Auckland.
D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy