Pediatrics · Neurology · 3 h ago
Review maps neurobehavioural outcomes after term IUGR
A scoping review of 28 clinical and preclinical studies examined neurobehavioural outcomes in adolescents and young adults born at term after intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Motor and cognitive outcomes were commonly studied, while anxiety outcomes were less often assessed in human cohorts.
- Review included 16 clinical and 12 preclinical studies.
- Motor and cognitive outcomes were commonly assessed.
- Anxiety outcomes were less studied in human cohorts.
- SGA/LBW proxies limited IUGR comparisons.
Researchers searched six databases for studies published from 1985 to February 2025, following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The review included 16 clinical studies of term-born adolescents or young adults classified as having IUGR, small for gestational age (SGA) or low birth weight (LBW), and 12 preclinical studies using placental insufficiency to induce IUGR. Findings were synthesised narratively.
Motor coordination and memory outcomes were reported in both human and animal studies. Anxiety-related behaviours were frequently examined in animal models but in fewer clinical studies. Comparisons across species were limited by heterogeneous outcome measures and inconsistent diagnostic criteria: most clinical studies used SGA or LBW as proxies for IUGR, and only two applied antenatal criteria to confirm IUGR.
The review maps research coverage rather than estimating effects or evaluating interventions. Its authors identify diagnostic standardisation and more closely aligned behavioural assessments as priorities for translational research. The evidence base’s limited assessment of anxiety in human cohorts and narrow representation of species in preclinical work also constrain interpretation.
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Pediatric Research: Neurobehavioural outcomes after term IUGR from adolescence to adulthood: a cross-species scoping review ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.