Nutritional correlates of fetal growth.

Fetal growth is regulated by an interplay of genetic and environmental factors. Fetuses with growth restriction secondary to decreased nutritional supply exhibit maturation whereas hyperglycemic fetuses of diabetic mothers show delayed lung and placental maturation. Membranes from fetuses of diabetics have a decrease in epidermal-growth-factor (EGF) binding, whereas EGF binding is increased in lung and placenta of growth-restricted fetuses. These results suggest that the EGF receptor is responsive to altered nutritional states and may be important to substrate flow to the fetus.