1 Hospital de Gineco-Obstetricia, Centro Médico del I.M.S.S.
2 The Hospital Infantil, Mexico, D.F.
3 The Children's Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The maternofetal transfer of I131-labeled human insulin was studied in 9 women undergoing caesarean section. The data suggest that insulin readily traverses the human placenta and that the amount transferred from mother to fetus is equivalent to 33% of the insulin utilized by the normal fetus at term and this amount is also equal to 33% of the insulin synthesized by the normal fetus at term. The placenta appears to be equally permeable in the direction of fetus to mother.
Submitted on June 1, 1964