BACKGROUND Developmental diseases, such as birth defects, growth restriction and preterm delivery, account for >25% of infant mortality and morbidity. Several studies have shown that exposure to chemicals during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify whether occupational exposure to various chemicals might adversely influence intrauterine grow...

BACKGROUND Fetal macrosomia is defined as birth weight ≥4000 g. Several risk factors have been shown to be associated with fetal macrosomia. There has been an increased incidence of macrosomic babies delivered and the antecedent complications. This study assessed the risk factors, maternal and neonatal complications of fetal macrosomia in comparison with normal birth weight neonates. METHODS ...

Ghrelin, an acylated peptide serving as an endogenous ligand for GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), was originally isolated from rat and human stomach. In this study, we report the critical role of maternal ghrelin in fetal development. High levels of ghrelin receptor (GHS-R) mRNA were detected in various peripheral fetal tissues beginning at embryonic d 14 and lasting until birth. Fetal GHS-R e...

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the fetal thymus size by sonography in healthy, small for gestational age (SGA), and growth restriction (FGR) pregnancies investigate if there is a difference between healthy fetuses those with restriction. 
 Study Design: thymic-thoracic ratio (TTR), transverse diameter, perimeter were prospectively measured SGA FGR ages 20 37 weeks comp...

Human birth weight is subject to stabilizing selection; babies born too small or too large are less likely to survive. Particular combinations of maternal/fetal immune system genes are associated with pregnancies where the babies are ≤ 5th birth weight centile, specifically an inhibitory maternal KIR AA genotype with a paternally derived fetal HLA-C2 ligand. We have now analyzed maternal KIR an...

Small for gestational age (SGA) is defined as a birth weight and/or birth length below -2 standard deviation scores (SDS), adjusted for gestational age (Clayton et al., 2007). To determine whether a child is born SGA, accurate knowledge of gestational age, accurate measurements of weight and length at birth, and an appropriate reference population to calculate the standard deviation scores are ...