L-arginine in Treatment of Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Effect of L-Arginine on Intrauterine Growth Restriction Fetuses Measured by Birth Weight: Randomized Controlled Trial

Intrauterine growth restriction is an important problem in neonatal care. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a fetal weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age. One of the main causes of IUGR is placental insufficiency. Nitric oxide(NO) increases placental blood flow. So,it might be useful to improve IUGR pregnancy outcome .

The study population includes pregnant women attending Antenatal care clinic of Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital who first time diagnosed of IUGR at our antenatal care outpatient clinic either referred for this cause After confirm diagnosis of IUGR and distributing patient into two groups Patient in first group will receive oral L-arginine 3000mg/day till delivery and Acetylesalicylic acid 75mg once daily. Patients in second group will receive Acetylesalicylic acid 75mg once daily. then follow up of both group by: Daily fetal movement counting Day after day CTG Doppler twice weekly Pelvic u/s weekly for: A) Head circumference, Abdominal circumference, femur length B) Fetal weight C) Liquor amount: Amniotic Fluid Index Or MeanVertical Pocket Decision of delivery will be determined when: A) Fetal distress (non stress CTG) B) Mother starts labour C) Reversed umbilical artery Doppler.

Group(A) 130 pregnant women diagnosed with IUGR will receive L-arginine and Acetylesalicylic acid 75mg Group(B) 130 pregnant women diagnosed with IUGR will receive Acetylesalicylic acid 75mg

L-arginine 1000mg capsules( manufactured by Putriant Pride,INC Holbrook,NY 11741 U.S.A.) every 8 hours Acetylesalicylic acid 75 mg tablet(manufactured by Multi_Apex Pharma , Egypt) once daily will be given for patients of group A starting from diagnosis till birth

acetylsalicylic acid 75 mg tablet(manufactured by Multi_Apex Pharma , Egypt) orally once daily will be given for patients of group B starting from diagnosis till birth

l-arginine 1000mg capsule will be given every 8 hours till delivery and acetylesalicylic acid75mg tablet once starting of diagnosis till birth.

acetylsalicylic acid 75 mg will be given orally once daily for group B starting of diagnosis till birth.

neonatal birth weight will be measured immediately following delivery and compared with the estimated fetal weight measured by ultrasound

The Apgar scale is determined by evaluating the newborn baby on five simple criteria on a scale from zero to two, then summing up the five values thus obtained. The resulting Apgar score ranges from zero to 10. The five criteria are (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration).

umbilical artery Doppler will measured by two dimensional ultrasound power Doppler twice weekly for the presence of any abnormality as: marked decreased diastolic blood flow, absent or reversed diastolic blood flow.

Inclusion Criteria: All pregnant women diagnosed with IUGR from 28 weeks Singleton pregnancy No maternal systemic disease No congenital fetal malformation Estimated fetal weight below 10th percentile Exclusion Criteria: All pregnant woman diagnosed with IUGR before 28 weeks Multiple pregnancy Maternal systemic disease Congenital fetal malformation