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Care-related factors associated with antepartal diagnosis of intrauterine growth restrictions (BIUS) - A case-control study

Description

Antenatal care is of core importance for the health of mother and offspring and therefore is a
central activity in mother and child health. One of the main goals of effective screening in antenatal care is the detection of suboptimal fetal growth and subsequently the initiation of appropriate interventions. However, sensitivity of antenatal diagnostic of suboptimal growth (i.e. intrauterine growth restriction) in clinical routine has been shown to be low. A study conducted in Germany found that only 30 % of cases with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and 40% of congenital malformations were diagnosed antenatally.

The aim of this case-control study is to identify factors related to the correct antepartal diagnosis of intrauterine growth restriction and to study the quality of care for women whose pregnancies are affected by IUGR. We will examine (I) if the detection rate of antepartal diagnosis of IUGR is still as low as stated in the prior study, (II) if there are specific groups that have a higher probability for non-detection of IUGR during pregnancy (III) what (care-related) factors influence and predict an adequate diagnosis and treatment of IUGR during pregnancy and (IV) what determines possible differences in detection rate and treatment between the analysed groups. A prospective sampling of cases and controls during a 2-year recruitment phase will be carried out in cooperation with the obstetric units of the "Gesundheit Nord" hospital network Bremen.

Funding period

Begin:   March 2012
End:   February 2015

Contact

Sinja Alexandra Ernst

Sponsor

  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)