Insulin and glucose levels in maternal serum,umbilical venous serum and umbilical artery serum:Comparison between normal pregnancy and intrauterine growth retardation

Objective:To determine levels of insulin and glucose of maternal serum (MS),umbilical venous serum (UVS) and umbilical artery serum (UAS) in normal term pregnancy and intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR).Methods:One hundred and seven cases of normal gestational weeks on induction of labors and spontaneous deliveries and 32 cases of pregnancies complicated with IUGR.Levels of insulin were measured with sensitive radioimmunoassay and levels of glucose were measured by the glucose oxidase peroxidase method.Results:Level of insulin of maternal serum was not significantly different before 28 gastational weeks and peaked on 28 th gastational week,then it decreased with gestational weeks and peaked again at last term.Levels of insulin increased in UVS and UAS.Levels of glucose in MS,umbilical venous serum and umbilical artery serum were not significantly different.Level of insulin and glucose of MS in IUGR had no change,but it was significantly different in IUGR of UVS and UAS ( P <0 01).Conclusion:Our study suggested a decrease of insulin and glucose in UVS and UAS with IUGR.