children s health issues
Small for Gestational Age (SGA) Newborns
Diagnosis of SGA Newborns
Before birth, measurement of the uterus and ultrasonography After birth, assessment of gestational age and size and weight of the baby During pregnancy,doctors measure the distance on a woman's abdomen from the top of the pubic bone to the top of the uterus (fundus). This measurement, called a fundal height measurement, corresponds roughly with the number of weeks of pregnancy. For example, the normal fundal height for a woman who is 32 weeks pregnant is about 30 to 34 centimeters. If the measurement is low for the number of weeks, the fetus may be smaller than expected. Ultrasonography can be done to assess the size of the fetus and estimate the weight of the fetus to confirm the diagnosis of small for gestational age. Ultrasonography may also be helpful in establishing the cause of the growth restriction and how it has affected the fetus. Depending on the findings, doctors may do genetic testing or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the underlying cause. small for gestational age is diagnosed by assessing the gestational age and the weight of the newborn. Doctors measure the newborn's Length and Height and 