• Birth weight is below the 10th percentile according to the week of gestation. These babies can be preterm, term or postterm.
• SGA babies are separated symmetrically or asymmetrically using the Ponderal index.
Asymmetric growth retardation has a better prognosis than symmetrical.
The most important pathophysiology of the findings seen in SGA babies is intrauterine hypoxia. Intrauterine hypoxia;
It increases stress, causes premature release and aspiration of meconium.
Increases erythropoietin, causes polycythemia and hyperviscosity.
It causes feeding intolerance and spontaneous perforations due to the fact that the intestines remain hypoxic.
It causes insufficient maturation of the pulmonary artery and pulmonary hypertension.
Due to placental insufficiency, the baby cannot store enough glucose, in addition, hypoxia increases the need for glucose use and hypoglycemia occurs.
COMMON PROBLEMS IN SGA BABIES
• hypothermia
• Hypoglycemia
• Meconium aspiration
• Recurrent apnea and pneumonia
• Aspiration, pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax
• Pulmonary hypertension and persistent fetal circulation
• Lung bleeding
• Neurological problems
• Intrauterine fetal death
• Polycythemia-hyperviscosity
• dysmorphology
