Characterization of patients with late intrauterine growth restriction at the Provincial Gynecological-Obstetrical Hospital. Matanzas, 2024-2025
Keywords:
Intrauterine Growth Restriction; Placental Insufficiency; Doppler Flowmetry; Cerebroplacental Ratio; Neonatal Morbidity; CubaAbstract
Introduction: Late‑onset intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), diagnosed after 32 weeks of gestation, presents a challenge due to its subtle clinical presentation and its association with perinatal morbidity and mortality. In Cuba, there are limited updated studies characterizing this condition at the provincial level.
Objective: To characterize patients diagnosed with late‑onset IUGR treated at the "José Ramón López Tabrane" Provincial Teaching Gynecological‑Obstetrical Hospital in Matanzas, Cuba, between January 2024 and December 2025.
Methods: Observational, descriptive, and prospective study. Twenty‑five pregnant women with late‑onset IUGR were included (estimated fetal weight <10th percentile, diagnosis >32 weeks, Doppler evidence of hemodynamic compromise). Sociodemographic, clinical, Doppler, perinatal, and placental variables were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results: The predominant factors were age ≥35 years (40 %), urban origin (60 %), secondary education (48 %), homemaker status (40 %), insufficient weight gain (48 %), and nulliparity (44 %). The most frequent gestational pathologies were hypertensive disorders (32 %) and urinary tract infection (20 %). Doppler ultrasound showed a pathological cerebroplacental ratio (68 %), altered uterine artery (60 %), and normal umbilical artery (44 %). 72 % of pregnancies resulted in cesarean section, primarily due to fetal hemodynamic deterioration (36 %). 28 % had neonatal acidosis (pH ≤7.20), and 52 % required resuscitation. Placental histology revealed a low placental index (60 %) and decidual vasculopathy (40 %).
Conclusions: Late IUGR was associated with advanced maternal age, nutritional deficiency, hypertensive disorders, and hemodynamic alterations. The high rate of obstetric intervention and placental findings confirmed vascular origin, supporting the optimization of ultrasound screening in the third trimester and specialized neonatal follow‑up.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Ela Solans-Galán , Gonzalo González-Rodríguez , Sandra García-González , Orayma Martínez-Oña , Laudys Rosa Blanco-Hernández , José Luis Hernández-Romero
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