title: Detection of Y chromosome-specific DNA in the plasma and urine of pregnant women using nested polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to evaluate a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Y chromosome-specific fetal DNA in maternal plasma and urine of pregnant women during different gestational stages. DNA isolated from plasma and urine samples of 80 pregnant women (between 7 and 40 weeks' gestation) underwent amplification for Y chromosome-specific 198 bp DNA by nested PCR. The postpartum analysis of fetal gender showed that 55 women carried male and 25 female fetuses. Among the 55 women bearing male fetuses, Y chromosome-specific signals were detected in 53 (96%) plasma and 21 (38%) urine samples. Moreover, out of 25 women bearing female fetuses, 3 (12%) and 1 (4%) women had Y chromosome-specific signal in plasma and urine, respectively. Analysis of results with respect to gestational age revealed that there was no significant difference in the detection of Y chromosome-specific DNA between different trimesters in maternal plasma of women bearing male fetuses. These results showed that fetus-specific DNA was detected with high sensitivity (96%) and specificity (88%) in the maternal plasma by nested PCR, and therefore the method could be useful as a non-invasive procedure for fetal sex determination and prenatal diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Al-Yatama
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khaja
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012732:Sex Determination Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D014998:Y Chromosome
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004247:DNA