Epidermal Growth Factor in Urine of Nonpregnant Women and Pregnant Women Throughout Pregnancy and At Delivery*

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Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor (EGF) concentrations were measured by a specific solid phase RIA in random urine samples collected throughout the menstrual cycle of normal menstruating women (n = 8), women with tubal sterilization (n = 6), women taking a low dose oral contraceptive (n = 5), and women throughout pregnancy (n = 52) and delivery (n = 35). There were no differences in EGF concentrations between the proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycle (P > 0.05). Normal menstruating women had higher urinary EGF concentrations [mean ± se, 37.2 ± 6.0 μg/g creatinine (4.23 ± 0.68 ng/μmol)] than women with tubal sterilization [32.7 ± 4.0 (3.71 ± 0.45)] or women taking a low dose oral contraceptive [19.5 ± 6.0 (2.21 ± 0.68)], but the differences were not significant (P > 0.05). During pregnancy, urinary EGF concentrations increased linearly from 6-20 weeks gestation (r = 0.76; P < 0.001), then declined toward term (r = –0.71; P < 0.001). EGF concentrations in early pregnancy ( 0.05). For women delivering normal, appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants, there was no correlation between urinary EGF concentrations and fetal weight or sex (P > 0.05). Urinary EGF concentrations in women delivering normal AGA infants [52.7 ± 2.5 (5.98 ± 0.28); n = 16] did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) from those in women with class A/B diabetes [41.9 ± 2.8 (4.76 ± 0.31); n = 6] or women delivering twins [45.6 ± 2.6 (5.18 ± 0.29); n = 8] with a greater fetoplacental mass. However, women delivering an intrauterine growth-retarded fetus with decreased fetoplacental mass had lower urinary EGF concentrations (24.9 ± 2.2 (2.83 ± 0.25); n = 5] than women with normal AGA infants (P < 0.01). The significance of the rise in the urinary EGF concentration late in the second trimester and lower urinary EGF concentrations in women delivering intrauterine growth-retarded infants is not known, but may reflect an important physiological role for EGF in fetal-maternal hormonal interaction and development.

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