New global standards for Fetal and Newborn growth: Intergrowth 21st

Presented on the 14th of July 2015, Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, University of Oxford
New global standards for Fetal and Newborn growth: findings and implications of the INTERGROWTH-21st Project
Dr Jane Hirst
Nuffield Medical Fellow, Locum Consultant in Obstetrics Nuffield Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Oxford
More about the topic: The first 1000 days of life is crucial to establish foundations for growth, metabolism and development. With over 100 different fetal growth charts in use, diagnosis of ‘small for gestational age’ depends more upon location and choice of chart, than failure to attain physiological growth. Consequently in 2015 we have few effective interventions for this major global health problem. The International Fetal and Newborn Growth consortium for the 21st century (INTERGROWTH-21st) was established to define optimal growth and development and the conditions required for this to occur. The INTERGROWTH-21st study was conducted in eight diverse international settings selected as social, nutritional and health care needs of mothers were largely met. In 2014 the study published it’s primary findings that under these conditions, linear fetal growth from 9 weeks gestation is strikingly similar around the world. International standards for CRL, fetal growth and newborn size at birth have now been released. The challenge will now be in implementing the standards and addressing the burden of nutritional problems evident from birth.
More about the speaker: Dr Jane Hirst is an Australian trained obstetrician from the University of Sydney. Since 2013 she has been based at the University of Oxford where she holds a Nuffield Medical Fellowship. Her research focusses on global perinatal health, considering the effects of social, economic, medical and nutritional influences on fetal growth and development as well as investigating novel approaches to improving the quality of fetal and newborn care. She is currently conducting a randomised controlled trial investigating the use of a smart phone based blood glucose management system for women with GDM in the UK. This technology was awarded Best Digital Initiative at the 2014 UK Diabetes Quality in Healthcare Awards.
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