Omega 3 Plus Vaginal Progesterone on Birth Weight of Intrauterine Growth-restricted Fetuses
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2022-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Intrauterine growth restriction defines as the failure of the fetus to get its normal growth
and specific measures threshold along a normal centile. Intrauterine growth restriction is a
serious obstetric problem that affects about 10-15% of pregnant women. Those intrauterine
growth restriction babies have a great risk for perinatal morbidity and mortality. Many
causes are responsible for the development of asymmetrically intrauterine growth restriction,
however; in a few cases, the cause could not be detected so it is called idiopathic
intrauterine growth restriction. They are great controversies regarding the treatment of
idiopathic asymmetrically intrauterine growth restriction. The termination of pregnancy may
be preferable in some cases; however, the trials to improve blood flow to the uterus and/or
the fetus may be also beneficial.
Omega-3 fatty acids as antioxidants inhibit the release of the free radicals during pregnancy
so vasodilatation will occur. This leads to increase blood flow to the uterus and placenta
resulting in increasing amniotic fluid volume in cases of unexplained oligohydramnios and
improving pregnancy outcomes in intrauterine growth restriction fetuses.
Progesterone is a smooth muscle relaxant and has a vasodilator effect on the blood vessels.
It causes endothelium- relaxation of human placental arteries and veins. This relaxation is
significant for maintaining low flow impedance and satisfactory blood flow in the placental
circulation. DeFranco et al observed that the vaginal progesterone is associated with
vascular relaxation and increased uterine blood flow. In addition, he did not observe this
vascular effect in women receiving systemic progesterone.