Decreased maternal circulating hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentrations in pregnancies with small for gestational age infants.

Our purpose was to evaluate whether maternal and fetal hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) concentrations in pregnancies with small for gestational age (SGA) infants are different from those in pregnancies with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. Maternal and fetal circulating HGF concentrations were compared between 55 pregnancies with AGA infants and 16 pregnancies with SGA infants at birth. HGF concentrations were measured from maternal and cord venous blood samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Umbilical artery blood pH and oxidative pressure (PO2) were also measured. Maternal circulating HGF concentrations (0.60+/-0.35 ng/ml) in pregnancies with SGA infants were significantly lower than those (0.91+/-0.44 ng/ml) in pregnancies with AGA infants (P = 0.012). There were no significant differences in fetal circulating HGF concentrations between both groups. No significant differences in umbilical artery blood pH and PO2 were found between both groups. These results suggest that the maternal serum circulating HGF concentration has a significant role in fetal growth during pregnancy.