Second-trimester maternal pregnancy-associated plasma protein a and inhibin a levels in fetal trisomies.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine whether fetal trisomy is associated with altered levels of second-trimester maternal pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and inhibin A.


METHODS
Maternal serum PAPP-A and inhibin A concentrations were measured at 15-17 weeks of gestation in 14 singleton pregnancies with fetal trisomy and in 56 matched pregnant controls.


RESULTS
PAPP-A levels in the trisomy group were significantly lower than in controls. The inhibin A level with fetal trisomy 21 was slightly higher than the control group, but levels were not different between trisomies 18 and 13 and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetal trisomies 21, 18, and 13 are associated with a reduction in second-trimester maternal PAPP-A levels; trisomies 18 and 13 are not associated with increased inhibin A levels, unlike trisomy 21.
Watanabe
Hideki
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Hamada
Hiromi
H
Yamada
Naoki
N
Ogura
Tsuyoshi
T
Yasuoka
Mana Obata
MO
Okuno
Suzuka
S
Fujiki
Yutaka
Y
Sohda
Sohda
S
Kubo
Takeshi
T
D000328:Adult; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D014314:Trisomy
C422362:inhibin A; D007265:Inhibins; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A