J Genet Med.  2009 Jun;6(1):74-80.

Integrated Test for Screening in Down Syndrome as a Predictor of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

• Park SW
• Kang JH
• Lee KJ
• Jun HS
• Kang MS
• Huh JY
• Cha DH

Abstract

PURPOSE
To assess the value of first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), nuchal translucency (NT) and second-trimester alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin-A in predicting pregnancy complications other than fetal aneuploidy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A retrospective study in 3,121 singleton pregnancies with integrated testing was performed at Kangnam CHA hospital between January 2005 and December 2006. Baseline characteristics, pregnancy outcomes, and serum marker levels were obtained by review of the medical records. We analyzed the data to identify associations between the integrated screening markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS program.
RESULTS
In preterm labor and preeclampsia, high AFP, hCG, and inhibin-A levels and low PAPP-A and NT levels were found to be significantly correlated (P<0.05). Elevated second-trimester inhibin- A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 2.843), low birth weight (odds ratio 1.446), and preterm labor (odds ratio 1.287), and while decreased first-trimester PAPP-A levels were associated with preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.51) and preterm labor (odds ratio 0.75).
CONCLUSION
First- and second-trimester maternal serum markers screening can be used for predicting high-risk pregnancies.

Keyword

Prenatal diagnosis; Down syndrome screen; Maternal serum markers; Adverse pregnancy outcomes; Pregnancy complication; Preterm labor; Preeclampsia

MeSH Terms

alpha-Fetoproteins
Biomarkers
Chorionic Gonadotropin
Down Syndrome
Estriol
Female
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Mass Screening
Medical Records
Nuchal Translucency Measurement
Obstetric Labor, Premature
Pre-Eclampsia
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications
Pregnancy Outcome
Pregnancy, High-Risk
Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A
Prenatal Diagnosis
Retrospective Studies
Chorionic Gonadotropin
Estriol
Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A
alpha-Fetoproteins