Fibrinogen and factor VII in male neonates

Recent studies have suggested that retarded fetal and early growth predisposes to cardiovascular disease of males in adult life. This is partly explicable by an association between the haemostatic variables fibrinogen and factor VII and the placenta/birth weight ratio. Since many characteristics influence clotting factors during life, levels of fibrinogen and clotting factor VII were measured in cord blood of male neonates. The placenta/birth weight ratio did not correlate with the birth weight for gestational age and appeared to be only a minor indicator of fetal growth. These findings make it unlikely that the level of fetal outcome 'programmes' male neonates via fibrinogen or factor VII to develop cardiovascular disease in adult life.