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Interrelation of maternal and foetal glucose and free fatty acids

The role of insulin and glucagon

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Abstract

At birth there is a statistically significant correlation between the maternal blood sugar and the umbilical venous and arterial blood glucose. The glucose concentration in the mother is higher than in the umbilical vein, and in the latter higher than in the umbilical artery. The free fatty acids also show a falling gradient from the mother to the umbilical vein and artery. This supports the assumption that glucose and FFA pass the placenta from the mother to the foetus.

Insulin concentration is significantly higher in the mother than in the cord blood. There is however no difference between umbilical venous and arterial plasma insulin. A statistically significant correlation between glucose and insulin is only demonstrable in the maternal blood.

Glucagon levels are about the same in maternal and umbilical arterial blood, but are significantly higher in umbilical venous blood. These results are consistent with the supposition that insulin and glucagon do not cross the placenta to a significant extent and can be synthesised by the foetus. In the first few hours after birth, a fall of glucose and a rise in FFA occur at the same time. Insulin tends to be lower than at birth and glucagon rises.

Zusammenfassung

Bei Geburt ist der Blutzucker bei der Mutter am höchsten, niedriger in der Nabelvene und am tiefsten in der Nabelarterie. Diese Unterschiede sind statistisch signifikant.

Auch die Konzentration der freien Fettsäuren (FFS) weist ein Konzentrationsgefälle von der Mutter über die Nabelvene zur Nabelarterie auf. Diese Resultate unterstützen die Annahme, daß Glucose und FFS von der Mutter via Placenta auf den Fötus übergehen.

Im mütterlichen Blut ist die Insulinkonzentration höher als im Nabelschnurblut. Es ist kein eindeutiger Unterschied zwischen Nabelvene und-arterie vorhanden. Nur im mütterlichen Blut ist eine signifikante Korrelation zwischen Glucose und Insulin nachweisbar.

Hinsichtlich der Glucagonkonzentration bestehen nur geringe Unterschiede zwischen dem mütterlichen Blut und der Nabelarterie. Sie ist aber in der Nabelvene signifikant höher als bei der Mutter.

Das Verhalten von Insulin und Glucagon ist vereinbar mit der Annahme, daß diese Hormone die Placenta nicht in wesentlichem Ausmaß passieren und im Fötus gebildet werden. In den ersten Stunden nach der Geburt sinkt die Glucose, die FFS steigen an, Insulin sinkt ab, und es erfolgt ein wesentlicher Anstieg von Glucagon.

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König, S., Vest, M. & Stahl, M. Interrelation of maternal and foetal glucose and free fatty acids. Eur J Pediatr 128, 187–195 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00444304

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00444304

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