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Fetal growth restriction is associated with stillbirth, neonatal death and perinatal morbidity. Confidential enquiries have demonstrated that most stillbirths due to fetal growth restriction are associated with suboptimal care and are potentially avoidable.
An epidemiological analysis based on the comprehensive West Midlands database has underlined the impact that fetal growth restriction has on stillbirth rates, and the significant reduction which can be achieved through antenatal detection of pregnancies at risk.
The Perinatal Institute administers the Gestation Network www.gestation.net which provides tools for assessment of fetal growth and birthweight by defining each pregnancy’s growth potential through the Gestation Related Optimal Weight (GROW) software, including
GROW-Chart: customised antenatal charts for plotting fundal height and estimated fetal weight.*
GROW-Centile: for calculation of customised birthweight centiles for each pregnancy, or a database of pregnancies (bulk centile calculator).
GROW-Service: GROW chart, centile and reporting via an API with Maternity Information systems.
GROW-Documentation: describes the GROW technique.
Please contact us for more information on Gestation.net tools and services.
* For information about the latest, fully electronic GROW 2.0 application, please go to https://perinatal.org.uk/GROW2.0/
Customised assessment of birthweight and fetal growth has been recommended by the RCOG since 2002 and their use has been re-emphasised in the 2013 revision of the Green Top Guidelines.
We have worked with GAP leads and other clinicians to develop the GAP care pathway: GAP Guidance. It is aligned with and complementary to Element 2 (Fetal Growth) of NHS England's Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle, the latest version of which is available here: SBL-CBv3
The Perinatal Institute provides the customised growth chart software as stand-alone GROW APP or GROW API linked to information systems. Audits have shown that antenatal detection of fetal growth restriction is directly related to the degree of training and implementation of standardised protocols. Therefore, the Perinatal Institute provides GROW software on license as part of the Growth Assessment Protocol (GAP) .
