In summary, the present study screened and determined that the optimal panel of reference genes was RPL4 + RPL5 in the developmental period of male and female rats by detecting the expression of the candidate reference genes in the cartilage at different developmental stages (GD20, PW6, and PW12) in physiology and PDE-induced IUGR model. The gene discussed is ALDH7A1; the disease is fetal growth restriction.