DETERMINANTS OF TERM INTRAUTERINE GROWTH-RETARDATION - THE SAUDI EXPERIENCE

In a clinical study from an unselected Saudi obstetric population, the incidence of and risk factors for intrauterine growth retardation amo ng live births were investigated. From a total study group of 4578 con secutive live births, 76 (1.7%) infants were found to be growth retard ed. These infants were then compared with a randomly selected control group of 76 term newborns with appropriate birthweight for their gesta tional ages. Delivery at term of a growth-retarded infant was signific antly associated with maternal age under 20 years, maternal body mass index less than 23, first degree consanguinity, poor housing, primipar ity, and inadequate prenatal care in univariate analysis. When conside red jointly in multivariate logistic regression analysis, the signific ant determinants were reduced to primiparity, first degree consanguini ty, and poor housing. These risk factors correctly predicted 63% and 7 1% of the intrauterine growth-retarded infants or normal birthweight i nfants, respectively.