Proposal to expand the concept of intrauterine growth retardation/restriction and separate five types of IUGR using the "MDN method"

Abstract

The authors of the study developed a new methodology to examine the physical development of neonates, which simultaneous takes into account the maturity (gestational age), development (weight and length standard positions) and nutritional status (the correlation between weight and length standard positions) of a newborn child. The foundation of this method is a matrix which consists eight horizontal rows of weight standard percentile zones and eight columns made up by the rows of the length standard percentile zones rotated 90 degrees vertically. These form a 64-cell MDN percentile matrix, in which the total data of 1,244,918 Hungarian neonates was added, and the stillbirth + infant mortality (SB+IM) rates of each cell were calculated. Based on the results of this process, five distinctive types of IUGR was identified. Based on the results, five characteristically distinct IUGR types were identified: 1/. weight restricted, 2/. length restricted, 3/. weight and length restricted, 4/. overnourished – length restricted and 5/. undernourished – weight restricted. The various occurrence rates and mortality risks of each IUGR type were also calculated. Using this methodology, the screening processes for IUGR during pregnancy and after delivery were also developed.