Maternal Adipokines in Relation to Newborn Weight

Background: Intrauterine exposure and its relation to the offspring metabolic and growth outcome is not clear .

Adipokines; leptin and adiponectin are correlated with adult and childhood obesity, yet early gestational exposure and its relation with offspring growth needs to be determined.

Objectives: To assess the relation between serum maternal and umbilical cord blood level of adipokines with the newborn weight.

Subjects and Methods: 50 pairs of mother and their newborns (N:100) were enrolled in the study. Serum maternal and umbilical cord adipokines ( leptin and adiponectin) level were determined. Maternal and their newborn anthropometric measurement were obtained by trained examiners.

Results: Lower serum maternal and cord blood level of leptin are associated with higher newborn weight compared to appropriate for gestational weight ( p<0.05). Moreover increased newborn weight was associated with higher level of cord blood adiponectin (p<0.05).

cord blood of leptin was significant increased in newborns whose mother were obese when compared to normal weight mothers (p<0.05).

Conclusions: Maternal adipokines level affects the newborn weight