Sildenafil in Sever Intrauterine Growth Retardation

The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of sildenafil citrate therapy on severe early and late onset intrauterine growth retardation.A total of 46 patients with severe early onset intrauterine growth retardation will be enrolled in a prospective case control study .

Patients will randomly be allocated to two groups with 23 patients in each group.Sildenafil citrate therapy may increase the likelihood of increased growth velocity [measured by abdominal circumference (AC) (ultrasound)] for fetuses of pregnancies complicated by severe early-onset IUGR .Sildenafil is a potent and selective inhibitor of cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which is responsible for degradation of cGMP which results in increased levels of cGMP, leading to smooth muscle relaxation. Placental disease, consequent on deficient uteroplacental blood flow, includes FGR, pre-eclampsia, and placental abruption and has been implicated in more than 50% of iatrogenic premature births .For this reason, the problem of severe FGR forms a substantial portion of the population that tertiary care centres care.

Inclusion criteria

• pregnancy complicated by severe IUGR [abdominal circumference (AC)< 5th percentile] the gestational age <25 weeks or an estimate of the fetal weight was <600 gm (excluding known fetal anomaly/syndrome and/or planned termination) ( von Dadelszen.et al;2011).

Exclusion criteria

• known aneuploid anomaly, syndrome congenital infection.
• If there is a plan to terminate the pregnancy.