Neonatal general movements: an early predictor for neurodevelopmental outcome in infants with intrauterine growth retardation.

Intrauterine growth retardation plays a significant role in neurodevelopmental outcome. The assessment of general movements during the first 20 weeks is a new method for early detection of brain dysfunction. General movements in 31 infants with asymmetric intrauterine growth retardation and their appropriate for gestational age-matched controls were examined. General movements were scored as normal or abnormal by sequential videotape recordings in the writhing (term to 2 weeks), early fidgety (9-11 weeks), and late fidgety (14-16 weeks) periods. Scores were compared between the groups and correlated with neurodevelopmental outcome at 2 years. The incidence of normal general movements was lower in the intrauterine growth retarded infants than in the controls (P < .001). Significant correlations were found between general movement quality and neurodevelopmental scores in the intrauterine growth retarded group. The fidgety movements were the most sensitive and specific for prediction of neurologic outcome. The general movement assessment can, therefore, serve as an additional tool for examining the neurologic status of the preterm and term intrauterine growth retarded infant.