title: Correlation between first trimester fetal bone length and maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is produced by the embryo and placenta during pregnancy, and its maternal serum concentrations are related to subsequent fetal growth. Evidence from animal models and in vitro experiments suggests that PAPP-A is particularly involved in the regulation of bone development. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between late first trimester fetal bone length and maternal serum levels of PAPP-A.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional observational study, ultrasound measurements of fetal long bones and fluorimetric immunoassays for maternal serum PAPP-A were performed in 514 singleton pregnancies at 10-14 weeks of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 501 uncomplicated pregnancies. There were significant correlations between PAPP-A values and length of humerus, femur and tibia [r values 0.12 (P = 0.01), 0.11 (P = 0.01) and 0.10 (P = 0.03), respectively]. The association with the length of ulna and foot did not reach statistical significance (r values 0.08 and -0.03, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal serum PAPP-A levels at 10-14 weeks of gestation are significantly associated with the length of fetal long bones such as humerus, femur and tibia. This provides further evidence that PAPP-A may be involved in the regulation of bone development.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Istituto G. Gaslini, Università di Genova, Italy. fprefumo@sgul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Prefumo
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canini
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crovo
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pastorino
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: Pierangela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Biasio
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005360:Fibula / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis*; D013977:Tibia / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology
chemical_list: D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A