Relationship between estimated foetal weight and renal volume in intra uterine growth retarded foetus in Bangladeshi women.

Low birth weight (LBW) baby predisposes to long term renal disease, adult hypertension and related cardiovascular disease. This could be due to reduced nephron number in early life. From different studies, it is becoming increasingly clear that nephron number, indirectly reflected in renal volume may be related with normal or retarded foetal growth. This prospective study was undertaken in the department of Obstetric and Gynae in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. One hundred pregnant women were included in this study and divided into two groups (IUGR and normally growing foetuses). Forty one foetuses weighted less than 2.5kg and fifty nine foetuses weighed 2.5kg or more. Kidney dimensions and estimated feotal weight were measured by USG by the same ultrasonologist. There were no significant difference between two groups regarding age, height, weight, and parity. The subjects with intrauterine growth retardation had smaller head circumference, abdominal circumferences, biparietal diameters, femur length, estimated foetal weight and lower amniotic fluid indices than did the subjects with non-intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). All biometric data shows significant deference except head circumference (HC). Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) foetus had significantly lower kidney volume than normally growing foetuses.