Patent ID: 7144707

Claim:
A method for determining the risk of developing a complication of preterm birth in a patient born before 40 weeks of gestation or weighing 10% less than the average for the patient's gestational age comprising: (a) obtaining a blood sample from the patient after birth; (b) measuring postnatal serum levels of IGF-I and/or IGF binding protein in the blood sample, wherein the IGF binding protein is capable of binding IGF-I, to obtain an IGF-I or IGF binding protein level; and (c) comparing said postnatal IGF-I or IGF binding protein levels with an in utero baseline level of IGF-I or IGF binding protein based on gestational age matched mean levels in utero, wherein a postnatal IGF-I or IGF binding protein level below about the 90 percent confidence interval for the matched gestational age in utero level indicates the patient is at an increased risk of developing a complication of preterm birth, wherein the complication of preterm birth is selected from the group consisting of retinopathy of prematurity, developmental delay, mental retardation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing entercolitis, and intraventricular hemorrhage.