Pathologies of pregnancy: IUGR

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) occurs when fetal growth rate falls below the genetic potential and affects a significant number of pregnancies, but still no therapy has been developed for this pregnancy disease. Altered fetal oxygenation and nutrient transport activity have been documented in IUGR, increasingly with IUGR severity. Maternal nutritional status, diet and exposure to environmental factors are increasingly acknowledged as potential factors affecting fetal growth both by altering nutrient availability to the fetus and by modulating placental gene expression, thus modifying placental function. Assessing nutritional and environmental factors associated with IUGR, and the molecular mechanisms by which they may have a role in the disease onset, is necessary to provide comprehensive and common guidelines for maternal care and recommended behaviours. Moreover, maternal genetic predispositions and early serum markers may allow a better and more specific monitoring of high risk pregnancies, optimizing the timing of delivery.