Normal Levels of Insulin, Growth Hormone and Cortisol Levels in Venous Cord Blood of HealthyFull-Term Infants: Correlation with Birthweight and Placental Weight

Abstract

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine
reference values for the venous cord blood insulin,
growth hormone and cortisol levels and also find out
the correlations of these three hormones with the
birthweight and placental weight.
Method: One hundred and eightythree healthy mothers
and their full-term neonates were included in the study.
The placental weights and birthweights were measured
by the same digital scale. Venous cord blood insulin,
growth hormone and cortisol levels of infants were
analysed using enzyme-immunological,
immunoluminometric and radioimmunoassay
methods, respectively.
Results : The mean insulin level was found 6.01±3.67
µU/ml (0.5-18), mean growth hormone level  20.07±8.38
(8.6-40) ng/ml and mean cortisol level 13.6±7.87 (2.4-40) µg/dl. We found that the venous cord blood insulin
levels were  in linear correlation with both birthweight
and placental weight (r=0.39, p<0.05 and r=0.35, p<0.05
respectively) but such  correlation did not exist when
growth  hormone or cortisol was concerned.
Conclusion: We consider  the values we have obtained
as data to be used for our own reference. Moreover, it
was shown that cord blood insulin values were in linear
correlation with birthweight and placental weight but
such correlation did not exist for growth hormone and
cortisol.
Key words: Cord blood, insulin, growth hormone, cortisol,
birthweight, placental weight

Keywords

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