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Small for gestational age (SGA)
Low birth weight
Small for gestational age means that a fetus or an infant is smaller or less developed than normal for the baby's gender and gestational age. Gestational age is the age of a fetus or baby that starts on the first day of the mother's last menstrual period.
Gestational age
Gestation is the period of time between conception and birth. During this time, the baby grows and develops inside the mother's womb. Gestational ag...
Information
Ultrasound is used to find out if a fetus is smaller than normal for their age. This condition is called intrauterine growth restriction. The most common definition of small for gestational age (SGA) is a birth weight that is below the 10th percentile.
A developing baby with intrauterine growth restriction will be small in size and can have problems such as:
- Increased red blood cells
- Low blood sugar
- Low body temperature
References
Carlo WA. The high-risk infant. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2015:chap 97.
Review Date: 9/26/2015
Reviewed By: Daniel N. Sacks MD, FACOG, obstetrics & gynecology in private practice, West Palm Beach, FL. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
