title: Fetal cells in the maternal circulation during first trimester in pregnancies.
abstract: To investigate the presence of fetal cells in the maternal circulation during early pregnancy, the polymerase chain reaction was used to test the presence of human Y chromosome-specific ZFY and SRY gene DNA sequences in maternal peripheral blood specimens from 19 women carrying male fetuses and 12 women carrying female fetuses. The presence of fetal cells was suggested as early as 6 weeks gestation in 1 of the 19 women bearing male fetuses. Fetal cells were present in the maternal circulation of 15 of the 19 women by 9 weeks gestation, and in only 1 of the 19 were fetal cells not detected until the 12th week after conception. These results suggest that identification of fetal cells in the maternal circulation is possible with a properly designed and executed polymerase chain reaction. However, there was considerable variation with respect to when these fetal cells first became detectable during pregnancy. These fetal cells are potentially a valuable source of material for biochemical and genetic studies of the fetuses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Pao
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hor
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D014960:X Chromosome; D014998:Y Chromosome; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins