Cell-free fetal DNA in the plasma of pregnant women with severe fetal growth restriction.
OBJECTIVE
Although there have been reports of increased fetal nucleated erythrocytes in the blood of pregnant women who are carrying growth-restricted fetuses, there have been no reports of quantification of fetal DNA concentration in the plasma of women with fetal growth restriction. We quantified fetal DNA concentration in the plasma of pregnant women with preeclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction.


METHODS
We examined maternal plasma from 9 pregnant women with fetal growth restriction and 9 with preeclampsia and from 20 women who were gestational age-matched normal control subjects. All women carried a male fetus. DNA was extracted from 1.5-mL plasma samples, and the DYS14 and beta-globin gene were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
The concentration of fetal DNA was significantly higher in subjects with preeclampsia than in fetal growth restriction subjects and normal control subjects. Fetal DNA concentrations in fetal growth restriction subjects were similar to those of normal control subjects. The concentration of total DNA (beta-globin) was significantly higher in subjects with preeclampsia when compared with healthy control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
We demonstrated that there was no increase in fetal DNA in the plasma of pregnant women with fetal growth restriction and that most fetal DNA in maternal plasma originates from trophoblasts.
Sekizawa
Akihiko
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. sekizawa@med.showau.ac.jp
Jimbo
Masatoshi
M
Saito
Hiroshi
H
Iwasaki
Mariko
M
Matsuoka
Ryu
R
Okai
Takashi
T
Farina
Antonio
A
D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000235:genetics; D035061:Control Groups; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood*; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
D001609:Beta-Globulins; D004247:DNA