Linking Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Blood Pressure

A bnormal perfusion to the fetus can slow fetal growth and result in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). 1 IUGR, or failure to reach one's birth potential, is one of the most common complications during pregnancy and generally results from placental insufficiency. 1 IUGR is generally not recognized before delivery, and treatment options for IUGR are limited, with early delivery being the most common. 1 Preeclampsia is often a contributory cause of IUGR, and numerous studies indicate that individuals exposed to a preeclamptic pregnancy exhibit a higher body mass index and blood pressure during childhood and adult life. 2 Individuals born with IUGR also demonstrate an increase in blood pressure later in life.3 This association forms the basis for the developmental origins of health and disease and indicates that adverse influences during fetal life that slow fetal growth program an individual for greater cardiovascular risk in later life.4,