Objective　To explore the changes and clinical value of serum insulin like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and adiponectin in newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods Fifty-two HIE newborns were recruited in this study, including 15 severe, 20 moderate and 17 mild HIE newborns. Twenty healthy newborns were selected as controls. Serum levels of IGF-1 and adiponectin were detected 3-to-5 days (acute period) and 10-to-14 days (recovery period) after birth. Results Serum levels of IGF-1 and adiponectin in the acute period differed significantly among groups of different severity (P<0.05). Serum levels of IGF-1 and adiponectin were decreased with the increase of HIE severity. The level of adiponectin in moderate and severe HIE was lower than that in mild HIE (P<0.05). In recovery period, the level of IGF-1 in severe HIE was lower than that in control (P<0.05). Serum levels of IGF-1 and adiponectin in the acute period was positivity correlated with those in umbilical cord blood of HIE newborns (r=0.531, r=0.611, P<0.01). Conclusions Decreased levels of IGF-l and adiponectin in HIE newborns are correlated with the pathological process of HIE, and can be regarded as indices for severity of HIE. IGF-l and adiponectin is of significance in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of HIE.