PLASMA INSULIN LEVELS IN NORMAL HUMAN FOETUSES

Abstract

ABSTRACT Immunoreactive insulin was measured in plasma collected from human foetuses at gestational ages of 15-26 weeks, as well as from their mothers. In the fasting stage, the mean insulin concentration in the foetal heart was 29 μU/ml (range 6-74 μU/ml) and in the umbilical vessels 19 μU/ml (range 10-36 μU/ml. The corresponding maternal value was 11 μU/ml (range 6-30 μU/ml). After giving the mothers a glucose load, the maternal insulin level increased considerably, but no change was found in the foetal plasma. There was no correlation between foetal weight and foetal plasma insulin level.