Relation between the birthweight and cord, maternal serum and amniotic fluid growth hormone levels.

Maternal and cord serum and amniotic fluid growth hormone (GH) levels were measured in 55 term pregnancies in order to evaluate the role of GH in prenatal fetal somatic growth. The study group consisted of patients who had small, large, and average for gestational age infants. The difference in mean maternal and cord serum and amniotic fluid GH levels between the three weight groups were found to be insignificant. It is concluded that GH does not influence fetal somatic growth.