Maternal and fetal nitric oxide synthesis is decreased in pregnancies with small for gestational age infants

• Published in: Human reproduction (Oxford) Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 1070 - 1073
• Main Authors: Hata, T, Hashimoto, M, Manabe, A, Aoki, S, Iida, K, Masumura, S, Miyazaki, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.04.1998
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Birth Weight; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Fetal Blood - metabolism; Fetus - anatomy & histology; Fetus - metabolism; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Infant, Small for Gestational Age; Medical sciences; Nitrates - blood; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitrites - blood; Pregnancy - metabolism; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Reference Values; Human; Intrauterine growth retardation; Vasodilator agent; Pregnancy disorders; Nitrites; Biosynthesis; Nitrates; Fetal diseases; Mother; Nitric oxide; Female; Fetus; Somatic growth
• ISSN: 0268-1161; 1460-2350
• DOI: 10.1093/humrep/13.4.1070

Our purpose was to evaluate whether maternal and fetal nitric oxide synthesis 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 nitrate and nitrite concentrations were compared between 30 pregnancies with AGA and 10 pregnancies with SGA at birth. End-products of nitric oxide synthesis were measured in maternal and cord venous blood samples using a fluorometric assay. Umbilical artery blood pH and PO2 were also measured. Maternal circulating nitrite and nitrate concentrations (6.91 +/- 1.27 microM) in pregnancies with SGA were significantly lower than those (11.69 +/- 1.33 microM) in pregnancies with AGA (P = 0.015). Fetal circulating nitrite and nitrate concentrations (7.54 +/- 1.09 microM) in pregnancies with SGA were also significantly lower than those (11.24 +/- 1.08 microM) in pregnancies with AGA (P = 0.024). There were no significant differences in umbilical artery blood pH and PO2 between the two groups. These results suggest that maternal and fetal nitric oxide synthesis are decreased in pregnancies with SGA infants.