Maternal serum human placental growth hormone at 11 to 13 weeks in trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the maternal serum concentration of human placental growth hormone (hPGH) in trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 pregnancies at 11 to 13 weeks of gestation and to examine the possible association between fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A).


METHODS
The maternal serum concentration of hPGH at 11 to 13 weeks was measured in a case-control study from 28 pregnancies with fetal trisomy 21, 28 with trisomy 18 and 112 pregnancies with euploid fetuses. The median hPGH multiple of the median (MoM) in trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 pregnancies were compared with euploid pregnancies.


RESULTS
Serum hPGH was significantly lower in trisomy 21 (0.93 MoM) and trisomy 18 (0.62 MoM) compared to euploid pregnancies (1.02 MoM). There was a significant association between serum hPGH and PAPP-A in both the euploid (r = 0.258, p = 0.006) and trisomy 21 pregnancies (r = 0.410, p = 0.030) but not in trisomy 18 pregnancies (p = 0.445).


CONCLUSIONS
In the first trimester, serum hPGH in trisomy 21 and trisomy 18 pregnancies is reduced. This is the opposite of findings in previous studies reporting that in the second trimester, trisomy 21 and 18 pregnancies have increased hPGH.
Sifakis
Stavros
S
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Akolekar
Ranjit
R
Syngelaki
Argyro
A
De Cruz
Jader
J
Nicolaides
Kypros H
KH
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis; D014314:Trisomy / Q000235:genetics*
D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A