How is fetal growth restriction treated?
About 10 percent of fetuses are growth-restricted (3, 6). A health care provider may suspect fetal growth restriction if the mothers uterus is not growing at a normal rate. This can be confirmed with a series of ultrasounds that monitor how quickly the fetus is growing. In some cases, fetal growth can be improved by treating any condition in the mother (such as high blood pressure) that may be a contributing factor. The provider closely monitors the well-being of a growth-restricted fetus using ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring. If these tests show that the baby is having problems, the baby may need to be delivered early.
