Impact of early-onset fetal growth restriction on the neurodevelopmental outcome of very preterm infants at 24 months: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND: The association between fetal growth restriction (FGR) and childhood neurodevelopmental delay is unclear and the evidence available to the present date shows conflicting results. Our aim was to analyse the impact of early-onset FGR on the neurodevelopmental outcome at 24 months of corrected age in very preterm infants. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of very preterm infants (≤ 32 weeks’ gestation) admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit between 1 January 2013–31 December 2019. The control group comprised appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns. Griffiths III Mental Development Scale was performed at 24 months of corrected age. RESULTS: 132 infants were included: 44 FGR and 88 AGA. Mean Global Development Quotient (GDQ) was lower for FGR infants (p = 0.004) even after adjusting for maternal and perinatal factors (β(adjusted) -16.703; p = 0.009). The average scores for the neurodevelopmental domains were highest for personal-social-emotional skills (107.02 ± 16.34), followed by eye/hand coordination (105.61 ± 14.20) and foundation of learning skills (102.23 ± 13.74) and were lowest for gross motor (97.90 ± 11.88) and language/communication skills (96.39 ± 18.88). FGR had a significant negative impact on all domains except for gross motor skills. After adjustment, FGR continued to have a significant adverse impact on language/communication (β(adjusted) -21.924; p = 0.013), eye/hand coordination (β(adjusted) -15.446; p = 0.015) and foundation of learning skills (β(adjusted) -15.211; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: In very preterm infants, FGR was associated with a significantly increased risk of poor neurodevelopmental outcome at 24 months of corrected age compared to age-matched AGA infants.