Objective: To quantify the risks of mortality, morbidity and postnatal characteristics associated with extreme preterm fetal growth restriction (EP-FGR).
Design:
The EVERREST (Do
Setting: Four tertiary perinatal units (UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden).
Main outcomes: Antenatal and postnatal mortality, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), sepsis, surgically treated necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), treated retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
Results: Of 135 mothers recruited with EP-FGR, 42 had a stillbirth or termination of pregnancy (31%) and 93 had live births (69%). Postnatal genetic abnormalities were identified in 7/93 (8%) live births. Mean gestational age at birth was 31.4 weeks (SD 4.6). 54 UK-born preterm EP-FGR infants (<36 weeks) were matched to AGA controls. EP-FGR was associated with increased BPD (43% vs 26%, OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 9.4, p=0.01), surgical NEC (6% vs 0%, p=0.036) and ROP treatment (11% vs 0%, p=0.001). Mortality was probably higher among FGR infants (9% vs 2%, OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 25.8, p=0.054). FGR infants more frequently received invasive ventilation (65% vs 50%, OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 6.1, p=0.03), took longer to achieve full feeds and had longer neonatal stays (median difference 6.1 days, 95% CI 3.8 to 8.9 and 19 days, 95% CI 9 to 30 days, respectively, p<0.0001).
Conclusions: Mortality following diagnosis of EP-FGR is high. Survivors experience increased neonatal morbidity compared with AGA preterm infants.
Trial registration number: NCT02097667.
Keywords: intensive care units, neonatal; neonatology; paediatrics.
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