MATERNAL HIGH-RISK FACTORS AND SEVERITY OF GROWTH DEFICIT IN SMALL-FOR-GESTATIONAL-AGE INFANTS

The relationship between maternal risk factors and severity of fetal g rowth deficit was evaluated in a population of 613 small for gestation al age (SGA) infants and 784 appropriately grown controls. The severit y of growth deficit among SGA infants was expressed as 'fetal growth r atio' (observed/expected birthweight, where expected birthweight is th e mean birthweight of the Italian population for a given gestational a ge). In multivariate models, preeclampsia was the only maternal high-r isk factor positively correlated with a more severe growth deficit amo ng SGA infants. Chronic cardiac or renal maternal diseases and female fetal sex were associated with mild forms of SGA, thus showing an inve rse relationship with severity of growth deficit. Finally, the associa tion between maternal smoking in pregnancy, low (<0.2 kg/week) materna l weight gain, low (<50 kg) pre-pregnancy weight, severe (Hb, <8 g/dl) maternal anaemia, low education (<6th grade), history of a previous l ow birthweight infant or recurrent spontaneous abortion, nulliparity a nd SGA was homogeneous across the severity strata of fetal growth defi cit.