Maternal serum fatty acid binding protein‐4 level is upregulated in fetal growth restriction with abnormal Doppler flow patterns

Purpose This study aimed to determine fatty acid binding protein‐4 (FABP‐4) concentrations in maternal serum of fetal growth restriction (FGR) pregnancies and controls of normal pregnancies. Furthermore, we hypothesized that the alterations in FABP‐4 levels might correlate with FGR severity. Methods We performed this prospective case–control study with 83 pregnant women. The study groups included 26 FGR pregnancies without abnormal fetal Doppler flow patterns and 25 pregnancies complicated with FGR accompanied by abnormal fetal Doppler flow patterns. Results The median serum FABP‐4 concentrations were significantly higher in the FGR cases with abnormal Doppler flow pattern group (2.09 ng/mL) than in the FGR cases without abnormal Doppler flow pattern group (1.62 ng/mL) and the control group (1.20 ng/mL, p