Routine third-trimester ultrasound assessment for fetal growth restriction.

Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR) significantly impacts perinatal outcomes. Undetected FGR escalates the risk of adverse outcomes. Serial symphysis-fundal height measurements, a recommended strategy, fall short in detecting abnormal fetal growth. Routine third-trimester ultrasounds significantly improve detection rates compared to this approach, but direct high-quality evidence supporting enhanced perinatal outcomes from routine scanning is lacking. In assessing fetal growth, abdominal circumference alone performs comparably to estimated fetal weight. Hadlock formulas demonstrate accurate fetal weight estimation across diverse gestational ages and settings. When choosing growth charts, prioritize prescriptive standards (encompassing healthy pregnancies) over descriptive ones. Customized fetal standards may enhance antenatal FGR detection, but conclusive high-quality evidence is elusive. Emerging observational data suggests that longitudinal fetal growth assessment could predict adverse outcomes better. However, direct randomized trial evidence supporting this remains insufficient.