title: First trimester maternal serum AFP and total hCG in aneuploidies other than trisomy 21.
abstract: Total human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were measured in maternal serum at 10-14 weeks of gestation from 53 pregnancies affected by trisomy 18, 42 cases with trisomy 13, 46 with Turner's syndrome and 13 with other sex aneuploides. The only significant association was the finding of reduced levels of total hCG in cases of trisomy 18 and 13. The association of increased levels of AFP in cases of trisomy 18 with ventral wall defects and the slight increase in AFP in cases of sex chromosomal anomalies other than Turner's syndrome was found. AFP and total hCG are not likely to replace the markers free beta-hCG and PAPP-A in first trimester screening for chromosomal anomalies.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Unit, Clinical Biochemistry Department, Harold Wood Hospital, Gubbins Lane, Romford, Essex RM3 0BE, UK. Kevin_Spencer@Compuserve.com
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Flack
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000782:Aneuploidy; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012729:Sex Chromosome Aberrations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D014314:Trisomy; D014424:Turner Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A