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OBJECTIVE:To determine whether circulating levels of leptin differed between women with preeclampsia and women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy.METHODS:Maternal and umbilical venous plasma leptin concentrations obtained at delivery were compared in 36 pairs of women with either preeclampsia or normal pregnancy, matched 1:1 for prepregnancy body mass index and fetal gestational age at delivery.RESULTS:Prepregnancy body mass index was 21.1 ± 2.1 kg/m2in either study group (range 17.6-25.3 kg/m2and 17.7-25.3 kg/m2in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively). Mean fetal gestational age at delivery was 40.1 ± 1.3 weeks and 40.1 ± 1.2 weeks in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively. Median leptin concentrations were significantly lower (p < .0001) in women with preeclampsia (8.3 ng/mL, range 3.5-20.0 ng/mL) than in normal pregnant women (20.2 ng/mL, range 6.0-63.7 ng/mL). Median umbilical venous leptin was not significantly different between groups (preeclampsia 11.8 ng/mL, range 2.0-37.2 ng/mL; normal 7.6 ng/mL, range 1.6-24.3 ng/mL; P =.377). Umbilical venous leptin levels correlated positively with birth weight in both groups (preeclampsia p = 0.501, P = .002; normal p = 0.517, P = .001), whereas no correlations were found between maternal and fetal hormone concentrations. Maternal leptin concentrations did not correlate with birth weight.CONCLUSION:Our data suggest that the correlation between umbilical venous leptin concentration and birth weight is independent of the presence of preeclampsia. Given the inconsistency in literature concerning circulating leptin levels in preeclampsia, further studies should investigate the regulatory systems of leptin in preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between umbilical venous leptin concentration and gender in 20 pairs of newborns matched 1:1 for birth weight and gestational age at sampling.MATERIALS:Blood samples were obtained from 40 women at delivery, identified as having an uncomplicated pregnancy. Umbilical venous blood samples were obtainedfrom their newborns (20 females and 20females) at birth. Specimens were analyzed using a human leptin 125-I radioimmunoassay.RESULTS: Fetal leptin correlated positively with birth weight (r s= 0.541; P < .001). Umbilical venous leptin concentrations in female newborns (median: 10.7 ng/mL, range: 3.5-34.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher (P = .028) than in male newborns (median: 7.7 ng/mL, range: 2.0-19.3 ng/mL). There was no significant correlation between maternal and fetal leptin concentrations. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed birth weight and gender to be independent factors influencing fetal cord leptin.CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that in the fetus, as in children and adults, gender and weight are the major determinants of circulating leptin levels.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between umbilical venous leptin concentration and gender in 20 pairs of newborns matched 1:1 for birth weight and gestational age at sampling. Materials: Blood samples were obtained from 40 women at delivery, identified as having an uncomplicated pregnancy. Umbilical venous blood samples were obtained from their newborns (20 females and 20females) at birth. Specimens were analyzed using a human leptin 125-I radioimmunoassay. Results: Fetal leptin correlated positively with birth weight (rs= 0.541; P &lt; .001). Umbilical venous leptin concentrations in female newborns (median: 10.7 ng/mL, range: 3.5-34.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher (P= .028) than in male newborns (median: 7.7 ng/mL, range: 2.0-19.3 ng/mL). There was no significant correlation between maternal and fetal leptin concentrations. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed birth weight and gender to be independent factors influencing fetal cord leptin. Conclusion: Our results suggest that in the fetus, as in children and adults, gender and weight are the major determinants of circulating leptin levels.

Objective: To determine whether circulating levels of leptin differed between women with preeclampsia and women who had an uncomplicated pregnancy. Methods: Maternal and umbilical venous plasma leptin concentrations obtained at delivery were compared in 36 pairs of women with either preeclampsia or normal pregnancy, matched 1:1 for prepregnancy body mass index and fetal gestational age at delivery. Results: Prepregnancy body mass index was 21.1 ± 2.1 kg/m2in either study group (range 17.6-25.3 kg/m2and 17.7-25.3 kg/m2in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively). Mean fetal gestational age at delivery was 40.1 ± 1.3 weeks and 40.1 ± 1.2 weeks in the normal and preeclamptic group, respectively. Median leptin concentrations were significantly lower (P&lt; .0001) in women with preeclampsia (8.3 ng/mL, range 3.5-20.0 ng/mL) than in normal pregnant women (20.2 ng/mL, range 6.0-63.7 ng/mL). Median umbilical venous leptin was not significantly different between groups (preeclampsia 11.8 ng/mL, range 2.0-37.2 ng/mL; normal 7.6 ng/mL, range 1.6-24.3 ng/mL; P= .377). Umbilical venous leptin levels correlated positively with birth weight in both groups (preeclampsia ?= 0.501, P= .002; normal ?= 0.517, P= .001), whereas no correlations were found between maternal and fetal hormone concentrations. Maternal leptin concentrations did not correlate with birth weight. Conclusion: Our data suggest that the correlation between umbilical venous leptin concentration and birth weight is independent of the presence of preeclampsia. Given the inconsistency in literature concerning circulating leptin levels in preeclampsia, further studies should investigate the regulatory systems of leptin in preeclampsia.

Objective:To determine whether there is a difference in maternal leptin concentration and cord blood concentration, consistent with the hypothesis of a noncommunicating, two-compartement model of fetoplacental leptin regulation.Methods:Blood samples were collected from 139 women, identified as having an uncomplicated pregnancy, from an antecubital vein at delivery. Cord blood samples were taken from the umbilical vein. Leptin was measured by radioimmunoassay, and its relationship to fetal and maternal anthropometrics was assessed by Spearman correlation. Differences in maternal and cord blood leptin levels between male and female infants were tested twith the Mann-Whitney U test. Maternal and cord blood leptin were compared by the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The outcome measures were maternal and cord blood leptin at delivery, fetal birth weight, length, weight/length ratio, and ponderal index, maternal prepregnancy body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, relative weight gain, and body mass index at delivery.Results:No correlations were found between maternal and cord blood leptin concentrations. Fetal leptin level correlated with birth weight (ρ = 0.665; p < .0001), length (ρ = 0.490; P < .0001), ponderal index (ρ = 0.260; P = .002), and weight/length ratio (ρ = 0.625; P < .0001). Median leptin concentrations were higher in female (9.3 ng/mL, range 1.5-34.4 ng/mL) than in male (8.2 ng/mL, range 1.6-38.3 ng/mL) neonates, but this difference was statistically not significant. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant influence on umbilical venous leptin concentration for birth weight (P < .0001) but not for gender. Maternal leptin concentrations were significantly higher than cord leptin concentrations (P < .0005 for the male and female neonates and the entire group).Conclusion:There was no correlation between maternal and cord leptin, whiich supports the hypothesis of a noncommunicating, two-compartment model of fetoplacental leptin regulation.

Objective: TO determine whether there is a difference in maternal leptin concentration and cord blood concentration, consistent with the hypothesis of a noncommunicating, two-compartement model of fetoplacental leptin regulation. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 139 women, identified as having an uncomplicated pregnancy, from an antecubital vein at delivery. Cord blood samples were taken from the umbilical vein. Leptin was measured by radioimmunoassay, and its relationship to fetal and maternal anthropometrics was assessed by Spearman correlation. Differences in maternal and cord blood leptin levels between male and female infants were tested with the Mann- Whitney Utest. Maternal and cord blood leptin were compared by the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The outcome measures were maternal and cord blood leptin at delivery, fetal birth weight, length, weight/length ratio, and ponderal index, maternal prepregnancy body mass index, pregnancy weight gain, relative weight gain, and body mass index at delivery. Results: No correlations were found between maternal and cord blood leptin concentrations. Fetal leptin level correlated with birth weight (?= 0.665; P&lt; .0001), length (?= 0.490; P&lt; .0001), ponderal index (?= 0.260; P= .002), and weight/length ratio (?= 0.625; P&lt; .0001). Median leptin concentrations were higher in female (9.3 ng/mL, range 1.5–34.4 ng/mL) than in male (8.2 ng/mL, range 1.6–38.3 ng/mL) neonates, but this difference was statistically not significant. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant influence on umbilical venous leptin concentration for birth weight (P&lt; .0001) but not for gender. Maternal leptin concentrations were significantly higher than cord leptin concentrations (P&lt; .0005 for the male and female neonates and the entire group). Conclusion: There was no correlation between maternal and cord leptin, which supports the hypothesis of a noncommunicating, two-compartment model of fetoplacental leptin regulation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal smoking habits on neonatal birth weight. We reviewed 10,240 normal singleton term pregnancies between 1985 and 1995 at the University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vienna. Birth weights of infants of overweight smokers were greater than those of smokers in general and similar to birth weights of nonsmokers, but smoking did have a fetal growth-retarding effect in overweight smoking mothers. Infants of underweight mothers who increased their daily cigarette consumption during pregnancy had significantly lowest birth weight. Our results suggest that the negative effects of smoking during pregnancy cannot be mitigated by a higher pre-pregnancy BMI and/or an improved weight gain during pregnancy. Especially the infants of underweight mothers benefit from their mothers’ decision to cease smoking.