Influence of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I axis on normal pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis in normal pregnancy.


METHODS
Totally, 116 normal pregnant women were recruited from January 1997 to June 1998, with 20 normal nonpregnant women as controls. Maternal growth hormone (GH) and IGF-I concentrations were assayed by RIA and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively.


RESULTS
Maternal serum levels of GH increased throughout gestation, reached a peak at 25 weeks of pregnancy and remained fairly high (chi 2 = 40.458, P < 0.0001). There was a significant difference between samples at 5-9 week gestational age and the controls (3.45 micrograms/L vs 1.61 micrograms/L, P < 0.05). The maternal serum levels of IGF-I increased rapidly throughout gestation from 29-week gestation and reached a peak of 188.86 micrograms/L at term delivery (chi 2 = 50.224, P < 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal GH levels increased progressively throughout gestation, which correlated with fetal growth. Maternal GH may regulate nutrition supply among mother, placenta and the fetus and play an important role in transporting nutritional substrates by the placenta. The maternal IGF-I in the third trimester may promote fetal growth and placental functions.
Zhou
J
J
Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Shi
Y
Y
Dong
M
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters / Q000097:blood*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D013006:Growth Hormone