A randomized controlled trial in a hospital population of ultrasound measurement screening for the small for dates baby.
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.
There is limited evidence from randomised controlled trials to inform best practice for fetal surveillance regimens when caring for women with pregnancies affected by impaired fetal growth. More studies are needed to evaluate the effects of currently used fetal surveillance regimens in impaired fetal growth.