The relation between human fetal growth and fetal blood levels of insulin-like growth factors I and II, their binding proteins, and receptors.

Abstract

These data demonstrate the presence of type 1 receptors and the bioavailability of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 throughout pregnancy. Insulin-like growth factor-I is shown to be adjunctively and directly associated with fetal size in normal pregnancies. The precise role that IGFs play in deviant fetal growth or whether IGFs can be used to treat reduced fetal growth remains unknown and awaits further investigation.