Increased Umbilical Cellular Fibronectin Concentrations Are Associated With a Decreased Prevalence of Growth Restriction

OBJECTIVE: Cellularfibronectin (cFN), a marker of endothelial activation, is elevated in maternal and cord blood in preeclampsia. We tested whether maternal orfetal cFN is related to fetal growth restriction in preeclampsia, in the context ofgestational age at delivery. METHODS: Cellularfibronectin was measured in maternal and cord blood of29 preeclamptic women and their infants delivered at Magee-Womens Hospital at 25-41 weeks of gestation. Relationships among maternal and cord cFN, birth weight, birth weight percentile, and ponderal index were evaluated using Pearson correlation and regression analyses controlledfor gestational age. RESULTS: Cord cFN was not significantly related to maternal cFN (r-.3 4, P =.08) orgestational age (r =-.32, P =.09). The relationship of maternal cFN to each index of infant size was not significant. By contrast, higher cord cFNpredicted higher birth weight, birth weight percentile, and ponderal index (P <.05). CONCLUSION: Elevated maternal and cord cFN concentrations have been reported in pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. This study assessed the relationship among maternal cFN, cord cFN, and indices offetal growth in preeclampsia. Elevated cord cFN was associated with measures ofbetterfetal growth. (J Soc Gynecol Invest 1999;6:264-7) Copyright © 1999 by the Societyfor Gynecologic Investigation. coc