Q: My wife is 6 months pregnant and the doctor says that our baby’s growth is not as expected. Can you please tell what are the reasons responsible for this? Also, can you please tell what are the things we have to take care of now so that the baby’s growth will be proper? Please advise us as we are really concerned and tensed.

A:The technical term for this problem is Intra-Uterine Growth Restriction. The causes are numerous and include an inadequate diet of the mother, low maternal haemoglobin, maternal physical and mental stress, high blood pressure, physical diseases in the mother, structural and chromosomal malformations in the baby, early pregnancy onset diabetes mellitus in the mother and intra-uterine infections. A large number of serious disorders would have been excluded by the ultrasound scan. To improve the outcome in the pregnancy it is wise to eat correctly, get adequate sleep and avoid stress. It will be necessary to visit your doctor frequently in order to ensure that the problem is not increasing. Frequently, an early delivery is required. Your doctor will be able to guide you best about this.