Postnatal development in children with growth restriction (follow-up study)
Volochaeva M.V., Kan N.E., Tyutyunnik V.L., Leonova A.A., Soldatova E.E., Ryzhova K.O.
Objective: To investigate the characteristics of postnatal development in children with growth restriction.
Materials and methods: This retrospective cohort study included 124 pregnant women, with all newborns assessed for mass-growth parameters using INTERGROWTH-21 centile curves postnatally. The study group comprised 76 children with growth restriction, whereas the control group included 48 healthy newborns. A comprehensive assessment of their health status was conducted during hospitalization in neonatal intensive care units and after discharge.
Results: The children in both groups were comparable in terms of delivery time, Apgar score, and follow-up duration. At birth, children in the study group had significantly lower anthropometric indicators (birth weight, length, and head circumference) (p<0.001). Additionally, the study group's children were 2.9 times less likely to have harmonious development than the comparison group (p=0.031). This may indicate that the risk of disharmonious development persists despite normalization of basic birth weight and length parameters. Data have been obtained confirming the association between antenatal growth restriction and an increased risk of disorders of the central nervous system in children. Children in the study groups had a high incidence of delayed psychomotor development (p<0.05; OR= 0.27, 95% CI 0,01–0.84) and were 12 times more likely to experience impaired speech development. Additionally, children in the study group were 2.9 times less likely to exhibit harmonious development than those in the comparison group (p=0.031). This suggests that the risk of disharmonious development persists despite normalization of the basic weight and height parameters. The data confirmed an association between antenatal growth restriction and an increased risk of central nervous system disorders in children. The study group displayed a high incidence of delayed psychomotor development (p<0.05; OR=0.27, 95% CI 0.01–0.84), and was 12 times more likely to experience impaired speech development.
Conclusion: Fetal growth restriction can have long-term effects on neurocognitive development in children. This underscores the need for early monitoring and rehabilitation programs for children born with stunted growth as well as further research to clarify the role of prenatal factors in speech disorders.
Authors' contributions: Volochaeva M.V., Kan N.E., Tyutyunnik V.L., Leonova A.A., Soldatova E.E., Ryzhova K.O. – conception and design of the study, acquisition of data for analysis, review of literature, preparation and analysis of material on the topic, statistical analysis, drafting of the manuscript, editing of the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: The study was conducted within the framework of the initiative project "Epigenetic criteria for diagnosis of fetal growth restriction from the perspective of neurogenesis dysfunction" (research project No. 19-И23 dated 8 December 2022) (registration number in the EGISU NIOKTR system (state accounting) – 123060500032-8).
Ethical Approval: The study was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia.
Patient Consent for Publication: All patients provided informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors' Data Sharing Statement: The data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
For citation: Volochaeva M.V., Kan N.E., Tyutyunnik V.L., Leonova A.A., Soldatova E.E., Ryzhova K.O.
Postnatal development in children with growth restriction (follow-up study).
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2025; (3): 65-71 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2025.32
Keywords
fetal growth restriction
follow-up observation
speech and language development
psychomotor development
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Received 13.02.2025
Accepted 03.03.2025
About the Authors
Maria V. Volochaeva, PhD, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Obstetrics, Physician at 1 Maternity Department, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, +7(919)968-72-98, volochaeva.m@yandex.ru,https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8953-7952
Natalia E. Kan, Professor, Dr. Med. Sci., Deputy Director for Research – Director of the Institute of Obstetrics, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, kan-med@mail.ru, Researcher ID: B-2370-2015,
SPIN: 5378-8437, Authors ID: 624900, Scopus Author ID: 57008835600, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5087-5946
Victor L. Tyutyunnik, Professor, Dr. Med. Sci., Leading Researcher at the Center for Scientific and Clinical Research, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, tioutiounnik@mail.ru,
Researcher ID: B-2364-2015, SPIN: 1963-1359, Authors ID: 213217, Scopus Author ID: 56190621500, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-5099
Anastasia A. Leonova, PhD student, Physician at Оbstetric Department, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, nastena27-03@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6707-3464
Ekaterina E. Soldatova, PhD, Physician at Оbstetric Department, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, katerina.soldatova95@bk.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6463-3403
Kristina O. Ryzhova, resident, Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia,
117997, Russia, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4, cr.yanina@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0009-0007-8318-435X
Corresponding author: Maria V. Volochaeva, volochaeva.m@yandex.ru
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