Relationships between the uterine environment and maternal plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 and placental protein 14 inearly pregnancy

Blood was obtained from 218 women between 6 and 13 weeks of gestation. Measurements of serum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and placental protein 14 (PP14) concentrations were compared with maternal weight and height, maternal smoking habit, indices of maternal haematological status and two placental hormones [human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and human placental lactogen (HPL)]. IGFBP-1 concentration was negatively correlated with maternal weight (P < 0.001) and body mass index (P < 0.001); PP14 concentration was not correlated with these measurements. PP14 concentration was negatively correlated with maternal haemoglobin concentration (P = 0.010), mean corpuscular volume (P = 0.003) and serum ferritin concentration (P = 0.016). The concentrations of PP14 were significantly less among smokers (P < 0.001); IGFBP-1 concentrations were uninfluenced by smoking. IGFBP-1 concentration was positively correlated with maternal serum HCG (P = 0.003) and maternal serum HPL (P = 0.002). PP14 concentration was positively correlated with maternal serum HCG (P < 0.0001) but not with HPL. These findings demonstrate that the maternal environment has an early influence on both endometrial and placental function.