Studies in fetal malnutrition
W. M. Crosby
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, Oklahoma City.
Fetal malnutrition, a worldwide problem, is accompanied by varying degrees
of lifelong morbidity for the child. Only 25% of fetal malnutrition is
accomplished by maternal risk factors known to cause intrauterine growth
retardation (ie, chronic hypertension, advanced diabetes mellitus, or
severe preeclampsia). If the malnourished fetus could be detected early in
pregnancy, nutritional intervention might be successful in improving fetal
growth rate and in avoiding the morbidity due to malnutrition. This
communication reviews the almost 40 years of studies by Jack Metcoff, MD,
and coworkers to unravel the causes of fetal malnutrition and their efforts
to prevent it.
