title: Maternal serum analyte levels after first-trimester multifetal pregnancy reduction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our purpose was to assess the effect of multifetal pregnancy reduction on maternal serum levels of analytes used for screening low-risk women for fetal chromosome abnormalities and neural tube defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood samples were obtained between 15.09 and 20.9 weeks' gestation from 10 consecutive women who had undergone first-trimester multifetal pregnancy reduction. The samples were assayed for levels of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and unconjugated estriol. Analyte concentrations were interpreted within our maternal serum screening program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of alpha-fetoprotein were significantly elevated in all samples. In each pregnancy levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated estriol were consistent with the number of continuing gestations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  First-trimester multifetal reduction does not alter second-trimester levels of human chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated estriol. Further study is needed to determine whether these analytes could be used to screen pregnancies for fetal chromosome abnormalities after first-trimester multifetal reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38103-2896, USA.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Shulman
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Cervetti
mesh_terms: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000517:prevention & control; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004964:Estriol