Sonographic evaluation of intrauterine growth retardation.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) may arise from a variety of causes, including placental insufficiency, maternal diseases, and fetal anomalies. Sonography plays a number of important roles in the diagnosis and management of growth retardation. Diagnosis of IUGR is based on fetal measurements, assessment of amniotic fluid volume, and other sonographic findings. Once IUGR has been diagnosed, sonography can help establish its cause. If a lethal cause is excluded, the fetus is monitored for the remainder of the pregnancy using sonography, including serial fetal measurements, biophysical profiles, and Doppler waveform indexes. Used appropriately, sonography can improve the outcome of fetuses with IUGR.