BOLANGIR, ODISHA • OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES
Clinician Reference Infographic
Deep Transverse Arrest & Obstructed Labour
Obstructed labour means the presenting part cannot progress despite adequate contractions, because of a
mechanical barrier. Deep transverse arrest (DTA) is one of its most common specific causes — the fetal
head fails to rotate from transverse to anterior as it descends, and gets stuck deep in the pelvis. Both are
largely preventable with vigilant labour monitoring, and both can become life-threatening — for mother
and baby — if missed.
ЁЯОп AT A GLANCE — TWO RELATED PROBLEMS
Obstructed labour is the broader problem: progress stops despite good contractions, because something mechanical is blocking the way
Deep transverse arrest is one specific cause: the head arrests with the sagittal suture in the transverse diameter, at or below the ischial spines, having failed to rotate
GREEN: steady descent and rotation on the partograph, no risk factors — normal labour
AMBER: slow progress, or risk factors present (epidural, suspected large baby, android pelvis) — assess closely
RED: action line crossed, or signs of obstruction (severe moulding, Bandl's ring, maternal distress) — obstructed labour, act now
ЁЯзй CAUSES — THE THREE P's
Passenger: malposition (deep transverse arrest, persistent occipito-posterior), malpresentation (brow, mentoposterior face, shoulder/transverse lie, compound presentation), macrosomia, or a fetal anomaly such as hydrocephalus
Passage: cephalopelvic disproportion from a contracted, android, or anthropoid pelvis; rarely, a pelvic mass such as a fibroid blocking the canal
Power: contractions that are too weak to achieve rotation and descent — can both cause and result from obstruction, which is why reassessment matters more than simply "more oxytocin"
ЁЯФО DEEP TRANSVERSE ARREST — RECOGNITION
On vaginal exam: the sagittal suture lies transverse, the head is at or below the ischial spines, and there's no further rotation or descent despite time and adequate contractions
Risk factors: epidural analgesia (reduces the pelvic floor tone that normally guides rotation), an android or anthropoid pelvic shape, a large fetus, or poor-quality contractions
Normally, the pelvic floor guides the head to rotate 90° to occipito-anterior as it descends past the spines. In DTA, that rotation simply doesn't happen.
ЁЯЪи SIGNS OF OBSTRUCTION — DON'T WAIT FOR THE RING
No cervical change or descent despite adequate contractions — the partograph has crossed the Action Line
Increasing moulding (+++) and caput succedaneum
A Bandl's ring — a visible or palpable ridge rising across the lower abdomen — is a late, ominous sign of impending uterine rupture
Maternal distress — tachycardia, ketosis, dehydration — and sometimes visible haematuria from bladder compression
A sudden, unexpected easing of established labour pain is a false relief, not an improvement (see our Uterine Rupture guide)
ЁЯЫа️ MANAGING DEEP TRANSVERSE ARREST
If contractions are inadequate and there's no disproportion, cautious oxytocin augmentation may still achieve rotation
Manual rotation to occipito-anterior, or rotational forceps/vacuum, can work — but only in experienced, skilled hands (see our Operative Vaginal Birth guide)
If rotation fails, disproportion is suspected, or there's any fetal or maternal compromise, caesarean section is the safe default
DTA attempted by inexperienced hands with excessive force is more dangerous than a timely caesarean. When in doubt, that's the lower-risk choice.
ЁЯЧУ️ MANAGING OBSTRUCTED LABOUR — IN THIS ORDER
1
Recognize early via the partograph or Labour Care Guide — prevention is the real priority here
2
Resuscitate the mother — IV fluids, correct dehydration and ketosis, adequate analgesia
3
Catheterize the bladder — relieves pressure and lets you monitor for haematuria
4
Continuous fetal monitoring throughout reassessment
5
Caesarean section is the mainstay for true obstruction — vaginal delivery only if fully dilated, no disproportion, and an operative vaginal birth is genuinely safe
Uterine Rupture
Obstructed labour is a leading cause, even in an unscarred uterus
Obstetric Fistula
Prolonged pressure necrosis causes vesicovaginal or rectovaginal fistula — devastating and life-altering
Postpartum Haemorrhage
A prolonged, exhausted uterus is more prone to atony afterward
Sepsis & Perinatal Death
From prolonged ruptured membranes, repeated exams, and fetal hypoxia
Mostly Preventable
Catch It Before the Ring Rises
Obstructed labour remains a leading cause of maternal death, obstetric fistula, and uterine rupture wherever timely access to caesarean delivery is limited — and it is overwhelmingly preventable with vigilant monitoring and timely referral.
Use the partograph, or the Labour Care Guide, consistently — for every labouring woman, not just those who already seem high-risk
A Bandl's ring is a true emergency — don't wait for it to appear before acting on slow progress
A deep transverse arrest in inexperienced hands calls for a caesarean, not a trial of rotational forceps
Early referral from a lower-resource facility is a sign of good practice, not of failure
Reminder: by the time the classic signs of obstruction are obvious, the safest window for action has often already passed — this is a problem best solved early, quietly, on the partograph.
Operative vaginal birth (OVB) uses forceps or a vacuum (ventouse) cup applied to the fetal head to expedite
delivery in the second stage of labour. Done well, it can avoid an emergency caesarean at full dilatation —
but it is a genuine procedure with real prerequisites, real contraindications, and a real point at which the
safest decision is to stop and move to theatre rather than persist.
ЁЯОп AT A GLANCE — WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE
Common Indications
Maternal: prolonged second stage, maternal exhaustion, ineffective pushing, or a need to avoid prolonged expulsive effort (e.g., significant cardiac disease, severe hypertension)
Fetal: suspected fetal compromise in the second stage, or to expedite delivery of a second twin
GREEN: clear indication, head low and in a straightforward position — outlet or low delivery, favourable
AMBER: mid-cavity station or uncertain position — needs an experienced operator and a low threshold to reassess
RED: a prerequisite isn't met, or a contraindication is present — do not proceed; plan caesarean instead
✅ PREREQUISITES — CONFIRM EVERY ONE
1
Cervix fully dilated, membranes ruptured
2
Head engaged, position known, and no suspected disproportion
3
Adequate analgesia, bladder empty (catheterized if needed)
4
Informed consent obtained and documented
5
A genuine willingness and plan to abandon and move to caesarean if it doesn't progress
Forceps
Better for rotational deliveries and certain positions (e.g., face presentation, after-coming head of breech)
Higher risk of maternal perineal/sphincter trauma
Lower risk of fetal scalp injury than vacuum
Vacuum (Ventouse)
Lower maternal trauma risk; needs active maternal pushing alongside traction
Higher risk of neonatal scalp injury (cephalhaematoma; rarely subgaleal haemorrhage)
Avoid under ~34 weeks, and avoid for face presentation
ЁЯУП CLASSIFICATION BY STATION
Outlet: scalp visible at the introitus without separating the labia; skull on the pelvic floor
Low: leading bony point at station ≥+2 cm, not yet on the pelvic floor
Mid: head engaged, but leading point above station +2 cm — higher risk; needs an experienced operator, and caesarean is preferred if there's any doubt
ЁЯЪи DO NOT PROCEED — CONTRAINDICATIONS
Unengaged fetal head, or cervix not fully dilated
Suspected cephalopelvic disproportion
Known or suspected fetal bleeding disorder, or bone fragility condition — vacuum is contraindicated
Face presentation — vacuum is contraindicated (forceps may be considered if mentoanterior)
Preterm gestation (roughly <34 weeks) for vacuum, given the fragile preterm fetal skull
ЁЯЫа️ SAFE TECHNIQUE
Apply the instrument correctly before any traction — correct application is what makes the attempt both safer and more likely to succeed
Pull only during a contraction, synchronized with maternal pushing — not as a continuous steady pull
Reassess descent after each attempt; stop if there's no progressive descent
Anticipate shoulder dystocia and postpartum haemorrhage — both are more common after an operative vaginal birth, so be ready, not surprised
An episiotomy is commonly used but not mandatory for every case — individualize
Maternal Complications
Perineal and vaginal trauma, including third/fourth-degree (sphincter) tears
Postpartum haemorrhage, urinary retention
Longer-term pelvic floor dysfunction — worth counselling about
An operative vaginal birth is not an all-or-nothing commitment. If correctly applied traction brings no progressive descent after a defined number of attempts, the safest move is to stop and proceed to caesarean — not to try harder, and not to switch instruments as a way of trying again.
Always have theatre and a caesarean-ready team available before starting — not arranged only after things don't go to plan
Sequential attempts with different instruments by an inexperienced operator carry more risk than one well-chosen attempt by an experienced one — call for senior help early if there's any uncertainty
Document the indication, instrument, number of pulls, and findings clearly
Debrief the mother afterward, especially if the birth felt frightening or didn't go as expected
Reminder: recognizing the right moment to stop and change plan is itself a clinical skill — not a failure of the attempt.
BOLANGIR, ODISHA • OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES
Clinician Reference Infographic
The Partograph & the WHO Labour Care Guide — Monitoring Labour Progress
A partograph is a graphical record that plots the progress of labour — cervical dilatation and fetal descent —
alongside contractions and maternal/fetal vital signs, all against time. Its purpose is simple: to turn
"labour is taking a while" into an objective, visual signal that prompts action before labour
becomes obstructed, not after. In 2020, WHO replaced the classic Alert/Action-line partograph described below
with a new tool, the Labour Care Guide (LCG) — covered in its own section further down, alongside what's
actually changed.
Know which tool your unit is using. The panels below on the Alert Line and Action Line describe the
classic WHO partograph (in use since the 1990s, and still the correct tool wherever a facility hasn't
yet transitioned). Further down, a dedicated section covers the WHO Labour Care Guide — the tool WHO
now recommends globally, most recently detailed in its 2025 Labour Care Guide: Implementation Resource
Package. The clinical goal is identical; the mechanics differ in real ways.
ЁЯОп THE CLASSIC PARTOGRAPH — WHEN TO START PLOTTING
Plotting begins in the active phase of labour — cervix ≥4 cm dilated, with regular, painful contractions
Starting the plot too early, during the latent phase, creates a false impression of slow progress and can prompt unnecessary intervention
GREEN: the dilatation plot sits on or to the left of the Alert Line — labour is progressing normally
AMBER: the plot has crossed the Alert Line — increase surveillance, and consider referral if at a lower-resource facility
RED: the plot has crossed the Action Line — active reassessment and intervention are needed now
Per Abdminal Exam. Descent of the headEach vaginal exam
Liquor & mouldingEach vaginal exam
Blood pressure & temperatureEvery 4 hours
Urine (protein/acetone/volume)At each void
Moulding is graded 0 to +++ ; +++ (overlapping, not reducible) is a real warning sign of disproportion — don't record it as a routine box-tick.
ЁЯУИ THE ALERT LINE & ACTION LINE
The Alert Line starts at 4 cm and rises at 1 cm per hour — the expected minimum rate of progress in active labour
The Action Line runs parallel, 4 hours to the right of the Alert Line
Alert Line (1 cm/hr)
Action Line (+4 hrs)
Actual dilatation plot
In this example, the plot falls behind early and drifts into the amber zone between the two lines — exactly the window meant for closer watching and reassessment, before anything crosses into the red action zone.
On/Left of Alert Line
Normal progress
Continue routine observation
Crossed Alert, Before Action
Caution zone — increase monitoring
Consider referral if resources are limited here
Crossed the Action Line
Active intervention required
Full reassessment before augmenting
Plateau (No Change ≥2 hrs)
Secondary arrest — reassess urgently
Applies regardless of alert/action line position
ЁЯЪи REASSESS URGENTLY — DON'T JUST KEEP PLOTTING
The plot has crossed the Action Line
No cervical change for 2+ hours despite adequate contractions
Moulding +++ or increasing caput — signs of possible disproportion
Any fetal heart rate abnormality (see our FHR Monitoring guide)
Descent not progressing despite apparently full dilatation
ЁЯЫа️ WHEN THE ACTION LINE IS CROSSED
1
Full reassessment — contractions, fetal condition, and signs of obstruction (moulding, caput, descent)
2
Rule out cephalopelvic disproportion or malposition before augmenting
3
If contractions are inadequate and no disproportion — consider amniotomy (if membranes intact) and cautious oxytocin augmentation
4
If disproportion is suspected, or progress fails to improve — plan for operative delivery
5
Continuous fetal monitoring throughout; involve a senior obstetrician and document clearly
ЁЯЖХ THE WHO LABOUR CARE GUIDE (LCG) — WHAT'S DIFFERENT
Launched by WHO in 2020 to replace the classic partograph, following WHO's 2018 update to its intrapartum care recommendations; a full Implementation Resource Package followed in 2025 to support the rollout
Active labour is now defined from 5 cm, not 4 cm — this alone shifts when monitoring formally begins
The fixed 1 cm/hour Alert Line and parallel Action Line are gone. In their place: evidence-based time limits at each centimetre of dilatation, based on the slower end of normal labours — progress is checked against a per-centimetre threshold, not a single diagonal line
An "Alert" column runs through every section of the chart — any parameter outside the expected range is flagged, and the provider must record what they actually did about it, not just that it was noted
Monitoring now explicitly continues into the second stage of labour, which the classic partograph didn't formally cover
Contraction strength/intensity is no longer recorded — it proved too subjective to standardize; frequency and duration remain
New sections for supportive care (companionship, hydration, mobility, pain relief) and shared decision-making — the LCG treats the birth experience, not just the labour curve, as something to actively monitor
The LCG has seven sections: admission details, supportive care, care of the baby, care of the woman, labour progress, medication, and shared decision-making — considerably broader in scope than the dilatation-and-descent focus of the classic chart.
⚖️ CLASSIC PARTOGRAPH vs THE LCG, SIDE BY SIDE
Classic Partograph
Active labour from 4 cm
Fixed 1 cm/hr Alert Line + Action Line
Focus: first-stage dilatation & descent
Contraction frequency, duration, and intensity
WHO Labour Care Guide
Active labour from 5 cm
Per-centimetre evidence-based time limits
Focus: first stage, second stage, mother, baby, and experience
Contraction frequency and duration only
Which one should your unit use? WHO's own guidance is pragmatic: use the LCG once staff are trained and the necessary charting and support systems are in place — but keep using the classic partograph, accurately and consistently, rather than abandon structured monitoring altogether while that transition is being planned. An imperfect tool used properly beats a better tool used badly or not at all.
ЁЯМН WHY THIS MATTERS — WHICHEVER TOOL YOU USE
Catches prolonged and obstructed labour before it progresses unnoticed — directly reducing the risk of uterine rupture, obstetric fistula, postpartum haemorrhage, and stillbirth
Low-cost and low-tech — genuinely valuable anywhere continuous electronic monitoring isn't available
Standardizes handover — any clinician picking up the chart can see the whole labour trajectory at a glance, not just the current moment
ЁЯза COMMON PITFALLS IN PRACTICE — EITHER TOOL
Charting retrospectively: filling it in at the end of labour defeats its entire purpose as an early-warning tool
Infrequent or inaccurate vaginal exams degrade the reliability of the whole plot
A line is crossed, but nothing happens: the same "trigger without response" failure seen in early warning systems generally — a documented action line means nothing without action
Not using it at all in a busy unit — the tool only works when it's actually kept up, for every labouring woman
The Core Rule
1 cm Per Hour
4h
GAP BETWEEN ALERT & ACTION LINES
In the classic partograph, the Alert Line assumes at least 1 cm of cervical dilatation per hour is normal progress in active labour. Falling behind that rate doesn't automatically mean intervention — it means watch more closely and reassess the whole picture. The LCG expresses this same idea differently (a time limit per centimetre), but the underlying discipline is identical.
The 4-hour gap between the Alert and Action Lines is deliberate — it gives time to correct reversible causes (inadequate contractions, dehydration, positioning) before committing to intervention
Either tool is only as good as how honestly and promptly it's filled in — real-time charting is the whole point
Every member of the team should be able to look at the chart and understand exactly where labour stands, at a glance
Reminder: whichever tool your unit uses, its entire value lies in turning a vague sense that "labour is taking a while" into an objective, visual, shared decision point — and then actually acting on it.
BOLANGIR, ODISHA • OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY CLINICAL PATHWAY SERIES
Clinician Reference Infographic
The Partograph — Monitoring Labour Progress
A partograph is a single graphical chart that plots the progress of labour — cervical dilatation and fetal
descent — alongside contractions and maternal/fetal vital signs, all against time. Its purpose is simple:
to turn "labour is taking a while" into an objective, visual signal that prompts action before
labour becomes obstructed, not after.
ЁЯОп AT A GLANCE — WHEN TO START PLOTTING
Plotting begins in the active phase of labour — cervix ≥4 cm dilated, with regular, painful contractions
Starting the plot too early, during the latent phase, creates a false impression of slow progress and can prompt unnecessary intervention
GREEN: the dilatation plot sits on or to the left of the Alert Line — labour is progressing normally
AMBER: the plot has crossed the Alert Line — increase surveillance, and consider referral if at a lower-resource facility
RED: the plot has crossed the Action Line — active reassessment and intervention are needed now
Moulding is graded 0 to +++ ; +++ (overlapping, not reducible) is a real warning sign of disproportion — don't record it as a routine box-tick.
ЁЯУИ THE ALERT LINE & ACTION LINE
The Alert Line starts at 4 cm and rises at 1 cm per hour — the expected minimum rate of progress in active labour
The Action Line runs parallel, 4 hours to the right of the Alert Line
Alert Line (1 cm/hr)
Action Line (+4 hrs)
Actual dilatation plot
In this example, the plot falls behind early and drifts into the amber zone between the two lines — exactly the window meant for closer watching and reassessment, before anything crosses into the red action zone.
On/Left of Alert Line
Normal progress
Continue routine observation
Crossed Alert, Before Action
Caution zone — increase monitoring
Consider referral if resources are limited here
Crossed the Action Line
Active intervention required
Full reassessment before augmenting
Plateau (No Change ≥2 hrs)
Secondary arrest — reassess urgently
Applies regardless of alert/action line position
ЁЯЪи REASSESS URGENTLY — DON'T JUST KEEP PLOTTING
The plot has crossed the Action Line
No cervical change for 2+ hours despite adequate contractions
Moulding +++ or increasing caput — signs of possible disproportion
Any fetal heart rate abnormality (see our FHR Monitoring guide)
Descent not progressing despite apparently full dilatation
ЁЯЫа️ WHEN THE ACTION LINE IS CROSSED
1
Full reassessment — contractions, fetal condition, and signs of obstruction (moulding, caput, descent)
2
Rule out cephalopelvic disproportion or malposition before augmenting
3
If contractions are inadequate and no disproportion — consider amniotomy (if membranes intact) and cautious oxytocin augmentation
4
If disproportion is suspected, or progress fails to improve — plan for operative delivery
5
Continuous fetal monitoring throughout; involve a senior obstetrician and document clearly
ЁЯМН WHY THIS SIMPLE TOOL MATTERS
Catches prolonged and obstructed labour before it progresses unnoticed — directly reducing the risk of uterine rupture, obstetric fistula, postpartum haemorrhage, and stillbirth
Low-cost and low-tech — genuinely valuable anywhere continuous electronic monitoring isn't available
Standardizes handover — any clinician picking up the chart can see the whole labour trajectory at a glance, not just the current moment
ЁЯза COMMON PITFALLS IN PRACTICE
Charting retrospectively: filling it in at the end of labour defeats its entire purpose as an early-warning tool
Infrequent or inaccurate vaginal exams degrade the reliability of the whole plot
A line is crossed, but nothing happens: the same "trigger without response" failure seen in early warning systems generally — a documented action line means nothing without action
Not using it at all in a busy unit — the tool only works when it's actually kept up, for every labouring woman
The Core Rule
1 cm Per Hour
4h
GAP BETWEEN ALERT & ACTION LINES
The Alert Line assumes at least 1 cm of cervical dilatation per hour is normal progress in active labour. Falling behind that rate doesn't automatically mean intervention — it means watch more closely and reassess the whole picture.
The 4-hour gap between the two lines is deliberate — it gives time to correct reversible causes (inadequate contractions, dehydration, positioning) before committing to intervention
A partograph is only as good as how honestly and promptly it's filled in — real-time charting is the whole point
Every member of the team should be able to look at the chart and understand exactly where labour stands, at a glance
Reminder: the partograph turns a vague sense that "labour is taking a while" into an objective, visual, shared decision point — that's its entire value.
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) — now more often called fetal growth restriction (FGR) — means a
fetus is failing to reach its genetic growth potential, usually because of placental or fetal pathology. That is
not the same as simply being small: a constitutionally small baby can be perfectly healthy, while a
growth-restricted baby is at real risk of hypoxia, stillbirth, and neonatal complications. Late-onset FGR is
common, subtle, and easy to miss.
ЁЯОп AT A GLANCE — SGA vs FGR
SGA (small for gestational age): estimated fetal weight (EFW) or abdominal circumference (AC) below the 10th centile — includes many healthy, constitutionally small babies
FGR: SGA plus evidence of pathology (abnormal Doppler, reduced liquor, poor growth velocity) — or EFW/AC below the 3rd centile
Early-onset (<32 weeks): rarer, more severe, linked to placental disease and pre-eclampsia. Late-onset (≥32 weeks): commoner, subtler, easily missed
GREEN: SGA with normal Dopplers and normal liquor — likely constitutionally small; routine growth surveillance
AMBER: FGR with raised umbilical artery PI, low cerebroplacental ratio, or oligohydramnios — closer surveillance
RED: absent/reversed end-diastolic flow, abnormal ductus venosus, or a pathological CTG — high risk of imminent compromise
Older texts split FGR into symmetric (early insult — genetic or infective) and asymmetric "head-sparing" (placental) patterns. Still useful as a clue to cause, but early- vs late-onset now drives management.
ЁЯзм CAUSES & RISK FACTORS
Maternal
Hypertension and pre-eclampsia, renal disease, diabetes with vascular disease
Undernutrition / low BMI, severe anaemia — very relevant in our setting
Smoking or tobacco use, alcohol, antiphospholipid syndrome
Placental
Placental insufficiency and infarction — the commonest pathway
Chronic abruption, abnormal placentation, single umbilical artery
Teratogens — alcohol, warfarin, some anticonvulsants
ЁЯФО DETECTION — WHERE IT'S PICKED UP
At booking: risk assessment to identify women who need serial growth scans; consider low-dose aspirin for high-risk women, started by 16 weeks
20–24 weeks: uterine artery Doppler where available — notching or raised PI predicts early-onset FGR and pre-eclampsia
Every visit from ~24–28 weeks: symphysis-fundal height (SFH) plotted on a chart — a lag or fall across centiles prompts an ultrasound. Simple, and works in low-resource settings
Ultrasound biometry: EFW from HC, AC, and FL (± BPD); AC is the most sensitive single parameter; repeat at least 2 weeks apart to judge growth velocity
SFH misses many late-onset cases — a normal SFH does not exclude FGR in a woman with risk factors. Scan her anyway.
ЁЯзк CONFIRMING THE DIAGNOSIS — IN THIS ORDER
1
Re-check the dating first — wrong gestational age is the commonest cause of a false diagnosis
2
Detailed anomaly scan — structural anomalies and markers of aneuploidy or infection
Doppler set — umbilical artery, MCA with cerebroplacental ratio, and ductus venosus in early-onset disease
5
Maternal work-up — BP and urine protein, infection screen (TORCH, malaria), and APS testing if early-onset or severe
6
Genetic counselling ± invasive testing when early-onset, severe, or associated with anomalies
ЁЯУИ READING THE DOPPLERS
Umbilical Artery
Raised PI → absent end-diastolic flow → reversed end-diastolic flow
A rising scale of placental resistance; absent or reversed flow is severe
MCA / Cerebroplacental Ratio
Low MCA PI or low CPR = brain-sparing
The key marker in late-onset FGR, where the umbilical artery may look normal
Ductus Venosus
Absent or reversed a-wave = a late, ominous sign of cardiac compromise
Mainly guides delivery timing in early-onset FGR
Uterine Artery
Notching or raised PI at 20–24 weeks
A predictor of placental disease — not itself a diagnosis of FGR
ЁЯЪи ESCALATE — SIGNS OF IMMINENT COMPROMISE
Reduced or absent fetal movements reported by the mother
Reversed end-diastolic flow, or an abnormal ductus venosus a-wave
Reduced short-term variability or a pathological CTG (see our FHR Monitoring and Patterns guides)
Oligohydramnios with worsening Dopplers, or new severe pre-eclampsia
Any of the above → same-day senior obstetric review; consider admission and delivery planning
ЁЯЫа️ MANAGEMENT — WHAT HELPS, WHAT DOESN'T
No treatment reverses established FGR — management is surveillance plus optimally timed delivery
Address what's modifiable: stop smoking or tobacco, control hypertension, treat anaemia, malaria, and other infections, and support nutrition (balanced protein–energy supplementation where women are undernourished)
Low-dose aspirin started by 16 weeks lowers the risk of pre-eclampsia and FGR in high-risk women — it is prevention, not treatment once FGR is established
Antenatal corticosteroids if delivery is anticipated before about 34–36 weeks (see our ACS guide), and magnesium sulphate for fetal neuroprotection if delivery is expected before 32 weeks
Not shown to help: strict bed rest, and routine use of sildenafil or heparin for FGR. Don't substitute these for proper surveillance.
ЁЯУЕ SURVEILLANCE — HOW OFTEN, BY SEVERITY
Normal Dopplers: growth scan plus Doppler about every 2 weeks
Raised umbilical artery PI: Doppler about weekly (some units twice weekly), with CTG as indicated
Absent end-diastolic flow: at least twice-weekly Doppler and CTG; consider inpatient care
Reversed flow or abnormal ductus venosus: inpatient, daily fetal assessment (CTG — ideally computerized short-term variability), and senior review for delivery
ЁЯЧУ️ TIMING & MODE OF DELIVERY
Typical Targets (These Vary by Guideline)
SGA, normal Dopplers and liquor: around 38–39 weeks
Raised UA PI or abnormal CPR (late-onset): around 37 weeks
Absent end-diastolic flow: around 32–34 weeks
Reversed end-diastolic flow: around 30–32 weeks
Abnormal ductus venosus or pathological CTG: deliver — weigh against viability and prematurity at that gestation
Mode: labour with continuous monitoring is reasonable in milder cases with normal Dopplers; caesarean is usually favoured for absent/reversed flow, an abnormal ductus venosus, or a pathological CTG — these fetuses tolerate labour poorly
ЁЯС╢ THE BABY — NEONATAL & LONG-TERM
Alert the neonatal team early, and deliver where newborn care exists — arrange in-utero transfer in advance rather than transferring a sick baby afterward
Watch for hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, polycythaemia, necrotizing enterocolitis, birth asphyxia, and respiratory distress if preterm
Early feeding, glucose checks, and warmth (including kangaroo mother care) make a real difference
Growth-restricted babies carry a higher lifetime risk of cardiovascular and metabolic disease — worth counselling parents and following growth
Counsel Every Mother
Report Reduced Movements
Same day
REVIEW FOR ANY REDUCED MOVEMENTS
A change in the baby's usual movement pattern can be the first — sometimes the only — warning that a growth-restricted fetus is running out of reserve. The mother's perception is part of the surveillance system.
Teach every woman what her baby's normal pattern feels like, and to come in the same day — never "wait until tomorrow"
Assess with a CTG (plus ultrasound with Doppler and liquor) rather than reassurance over the phone
A normal CTG today does not exclude FGR — check growth and Dopplers if they haven't been done recently
Repeat attendance with reduced movements warrants a low threshold for delivery planning
Reminder: growth restriction is often quiet — the mother may notice before any test does.
