Somatomedin-like activity in cord blood from infants of hypertensive mothers.

Somatomedin-like activity (SLA) was measured by bioassay in cord serum from infants of hypertensive mothers. Levels of SLA were lowest in "light for date' infants with birth weights below the 3rd centile, but did not correlate with birth weight, placental weight or maturity at delivery. Cord serum from female infants had significantly (P less than 0.001) higher levels of SLA than male infants. No differences in SLA were found between infants born after spontaneous labor or following induction.