Abstract
Background and Objectives: Fetal overgrowth is related to many perinatal complications, including stillbirth, cesarean section, maternal and neonatal injuries, and shoulder dystocia. It is related to maternal diabetes, obesity, and gestational weight gain but also happens in low-risk pregnancies. There is ongoing discussion regarding definitions, methods of detection, and classification. The method used for detection is crucial as it draws a line between those at risk and low-risk popula-tions. Materials and Methods: For this narrative review, relevant evidence was identified through PubMed search with one of the general terms (macrosomia, large-for-gestational-age) combined with the outcome of interest. Results: This review summarizes evidence on the relation of fetal overgrowth with stillbirth, cesarean sections, shoulder dystocia, anal sphincter injury, and hem-orrhage. Customized growth charts help to detect mothers and fetuses at risk of those complica-tions. Relations between fetal overgrowth and diabetes, maternal weight, and gestational weight gain were investigated. Conclusions: a substantial proportion of complications are an effect of the fetus growing above its potential and should be recognized as a new dangerous condition of Fetal Growth Acceleration.
Highlights
Complications of pregnancy have a long-term effect on both the mother and baby; maternal and neonatal health is an essential public health issue
While one should expect that both ends of the growth spectrum have some kind of underlying pathology, only small for gestational age and fetal growth restriction have established definitions [1]
Macrosomia is usually defined as an overgrowth of a fetus beyond a fixed cut-off value, while large-for-gestational age (LGA) is generally defined as being larger than the 90th centile
Summary
Complications of pregnancy have a long-term effect on both the mother and baby; maternal and neonatal health is an essential public health issue. Macrosomia is usually defined as an overgrowth of a fetus beyond a fixed cut-off value, while large-for-gestational age (LGA) is generally defined as being larger than the 90th centile. Fetal overgrowth is related to many perinatal complications, including stillbirth, cesarean section, maternal and neonatal injuries, and shoulder dystocia. It is related to maternal diabetes, obesity, and gestational weight gain and happens in low-risk pregnancies. Materials and Methods: For this narrative review, relevant evidence was identified through PubMed search with one of the general terms (macrosomia, large-for-gestational-age) combined with the outcome of interest. Results: This review summarizes evidence on the relation of fetal overgrowth with stillbirth, cesarean sections, shoulder dystocia, anal sphincter injury, and hem-orrhage. Relations between fetal overgrowth and diabetes, maternal weight, and gestational weight gain were investigated. Conclusions: a substantial proportion of complications are an effect of the fetus growing above its potential and should be recognized as a new dangerous condition of Fetal Growth Acceleration
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