Disparities of Clinical Features and Associated Maternal Factors among Symmetrical and a Symmetrical Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) in NICU at Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq

Background: worldwide intra-uterine growth restriction carries out high rate of fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. perinatal mortality rates are 4-8 times higher for growth-retarded infants. intra-uterine growth restriction (iugr) is subdivided into symmetrical and asymmetrical subtypes. we aimed to focus on the actual incidence of each subtype of iugr and disparities. materials and methods: across-sectional descriptive study applied on 52 singleton newborns admitted to the nicu at al-yarmouk teaching hospital, baghdad, iraq, from january to december2015.we assessed them for some demographic characteristics, anthropometric measures, investigation and a thorough physical examination with an estimation of the ponderal index (pi) values; these data were analyzed using spss software version 18.0. results: we found equal gender distribution for each sex. the 63.46% of iugr babies were of asymmetrical type, while 36.53% were symmetrical. incidence rate was higher among multiparous mothers than primiparous as 51.9%. the asymmetrical subtype mostly delivered by normal vaginal delivery (63.6%), while the symmetrical subtype mostly delivered by cesarean section (68.4%). respiratory distress syndrome was the commonest early complication, the higher percentage was among symmetrical than asymmetrical subtypes 57.9%, 27.3%, respectively. among all deaths, 33.35% had asymmetrical subtype. the mean birth weight for a symmetrical subtype was 1.410 gr, while for the symmetrical subtype it was 1.760 grams. conclusion: the asymmetrical iugr newborns were more than symmetrical type. more than two thirds of symmetrical iugr were delivered with cesarean section, while more than two thirds of asymmetrical iugr were delivered normally and more than half of symmetrical iugr were with rds. sex had no effect on iugr distribution.