title: Mid-trimester maternal serum markers in predicting adverse pregnancy outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In a prospective study, we investigated the association between mid-trimester maternal serum AFP (ms-AFP), maternal serum hCG (ms-hCG) levels and adverse pregnancy outcome in a South-Western Greek population.
  
  
  METHODS
  126 healthy Greek women with spontaneous pregnancies were investigated for ms-AFP and ms-hCG levels between the 13th and 24th weeks of gestation and followed for adverse pregnancy outcome. Abnormal outcomes were considered as ms-AFP levels or ms-hCG levels > 2.0 multiples of the median value for gestation (MoM). Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson's chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Elevated ms-AFP levels were detected in a total of 25 out of the 126 women studied (19.84%). Elevated ms-hCG levels were detected in a total of ten of the 126 women studied (7.93%). Elevated ms-AFP and ms-hCG levels were detected in a total of four of the 126 women studied (3.17%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiparameter testing of placental function in the mid-trimester (uterine artery Doppler, placental morphology, ms-AFP and ms-hCG screening) may allow us to identify women with increased risk of developing severe placental insufficiency and pregnancy complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Patras, Medical School, Rion, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Androutsopoulos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gkogkos
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Adonakis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tsapanos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vassilakos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Panayiotakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Decavalas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055988:Uterine Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins