Maternal insulin-like growth factor 1 and 2 differentially affect the renin-angiotensin system during pregnancy in the guinea pig.

Objective: Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are known to interact with the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). We previously demonstrated that administration of IGF1 to guinea pigs in early to mid pregnancy promotes placental function and fetal growth in mid to late gestation. Early administration of IGF2 had sustained, but not acute, effects on these parameters and also on placental structural differentiation.

Association of vascular endothelial growth factor +936 C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism with pregnancies complicated by small-for-gestational-age babies.

Objectives: To examine whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VEGFA (-2578 C/A and +936 C/T) associate with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) pregnancies and to identify their effects on first-trimester placental VEGFA expression.

Design: Multicenter prospective cohort study.

Settings: Adelaide, Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand.