Long-term Follow-up of Children Born in the PETN Studies

Pregnancies in which impaired uterine blood flow is detected by Doppler measurements during routine examinations in the second trimester are at high risk of developing fetal growth restriction (FGR). FGR affects 10% of pregnancies and is the leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity. In addition, intrauterine growth restriction places a lifelong burden on the physical and mental health of affected children. Epidemiological studies have shown that children with FGR have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia and a high BMI. In addition, the affected children show disorders in hormonal balance and pubertal development as well as specific impairments of various cognitive and neurocognitive functions. There is also a link between FGR and lower cognitive ability in preschool children, school-age children and young adults, as well as lower communication, language and reading skills in school-age children. Neuronal development (e.g. EEG frequency spectra, resting-state networks) and executive functions are also impaired by FGR.

In the follow-up study, the children will be examined from the age of 6. Here, the effects of PETN on the development of children of women with high-risk pregnancies can be further investigated and a comparative study of growth-retarded and normal-growth children can also be carried out.