Difference between IUGR and SGA?

missfire

My baby B has always measured at or below the 10th percentile. There was a lot of concern at first, but her growth curve has been good, and I've been tested and treated for everything under the sun, so the peri seemed to feel that she was just naturally small.

My OB made a remark the other day that "her placenta just doesn't work as well," or she would be bigger. In my weekly ultrasounds, her placenta always looks fine.

I was in L&D this weekend for a steroid shot and the nurse asked me if it was my girl or boy who was IUGR. It was the first time I had heard that she had actually been labeled that in my charts.

Does anyone know what the difference is between SGA and IUGR? Is it naive to think a baby can just be small? If she continues growing on her curve and went full-term, she would weigh about what I weighed when I was born at 40 weeks.

E&RMommy

Technically IUGR is an obstetric term.  SGA is a pediatric term.

You should really only use SGA for after a baby is delivered and smaller than the 10th%ile.  Many docs or nurses or sonographers get this wrong, and it drives me crazy.

HTH.

miaomi

It's my understanding that IUGR is only used when the baby is under the 5th percentile and there are other issues that relate to the small size.  But I could be wrong!