Maternal and fetal blood levels of S100 and ischaemia modified albumin in term intrauterine growth restricted fetuses with abnormal umbilical artery Doppler values.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether levels of fetal hypoxia markers, S100 and ischaemia modified albumin (IMA) change in cases of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). This case-control study included 15 intrauterine growth restricted fetuses and 20 age-matched controls. During delivery of the fetuses, cord blood and maternal blood S100 and IMA levels were studied. The fetal weight and umbilical cord pH values of IUGR fetuses were significantly lower than the control group. The mean maternal and umbilical cord blood values of S100 and IMA were similar in the two groups. IMA levels in cord blood of the IUGR group were significantly higher than maternal levels, whereas umbilical and maternal levels of IMA did not differ among control cases. In cases without brain sparing effect in Doppler ultrasonography, umbilical cord S100 and IMA levels do not change significantly in IUGR when compared with appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetuses.