Background: Gestational weight gain is an impressive factor in the fetal outcome. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is one of the most important problems during fetal period that may lead to many perinatal and long-term complications and growing neonatal morbidities and mortalities. The aim of the study was to ascertain the relationship between umbilical cord blood leptin concentration and fetal growth in neonates born with intrauterine growth restriction.
Methods: Maternal serum and umbilical cord blood leptin concentration were measured by immune radiometric assay at term gestation. The study was conducted on 22 women with uncomplicated singleton pregnancies as control group (group A) and 22 women with fetal growth restriction in singleton pregnancies as case group (group B). All subjects had normal pregravid body mass index (BMI).
Results: The results of the study showed that maternal serum leptin concentrations were significantly higher in group B comparing to group A (44ng/ml [28.9-58.2] vs. 24.6ng/ml [18.8-33.3];
