Intergrowth

2010 – 2015

Mariangela da Silveira and Fernando Barros

curvacrescimentofetal@gmail.com

Researchers from CPE and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Oxford University (UK) have been developing the International Fetal and Newborn Growth Standards for the 21st Century. The objective of the study is to develop new international standards describing fetal and neonatal growth for clinical practical use and monitoring population's trends. Ten countries are involved in this study. The study has been occurring simultaneously in eight different countries during a period of five years. The aim is to gather 500 women in each country, which will mean a total of four thousand female participants.

The research occurs in three stages:

• Fetal Growth Longitudinal Study: At this stage, there is the fetal growth monitoring by the Symphyseal fundal height measurement and by the ultrasound in a healthy pregnant population. The observation starts between 9 and 14 weeks of gestational age and continues until birth.
• Preterm Postnatal Follow-up Study: At this stage, there is the observation of preterm infants (born 26 -37 weeks of gestational age) to describe their postnatal growth pattern.
• Newborn Cross-sectional Study: At this stage, there is the identification of all newborns over 12 months to obtain anthropometric measures and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation fund the study, which has been occurring in Brazil (Pelotas), in China (Shunyi), in Italy (Turin), in Kenya (Parklands), in Oman (Muscat), in England (Oxfordshire), and in the United States (King City).