Cordocentesis in the diagnosis of intrauterine starvation.
Glycine and valine were measured in umbilical venous blood obtained by cordocentesis from 28 small-for-gestational-age fetuses. The values were compared with those from 62 appropriate-for-gestational-age fetuses. The ratio of glycine to valine was higher in the small-for-gestational-age fetuses and correlated significantly with the degree of fetal hypoxemia. These findings indicate that placental insufficiency is associated with a biochemical disturbance in the fetus that is similar to that observed in children with protein deprivation and kwashiorkor syndrome.
Economides
D L
DL
Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, England.
Nicolaides
K H
KH
Gahl
W A
WA
Bernardini
I
I
Bottoms
S
S
Evans
M
M
D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000032:analysis*; D005998:Glycine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014633:Valine / Q000097:blood
D014633:Valine; D005998:Glycine