title: The impact of severe hyperemesis gravidarum on the triple test screening results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  we aimed to determine the influence of severe hyperemesis gravidarum on the interpretation of the triple test screen results.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, case control study. The study group included 73 women who were hospitalized due to severe hyperemesis gravidarum and data regarding triple screening test was available. Data was compared with a control group consisting of low-risk patients without hyperemesis gravidarum, who underwent the triple screening test in the same laboratory and matched to the study group by maternal age and gestational age at the time of screening in a 2:1 ratio.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 219 gravid patients were included in the study, of whom 73 were diagnosed with severe hyperemesis gravidarum. Patients in the control group were characterized by higher weight at the time of triple test screen (53.7 ± 10.9 vs. 59.7 ± 14.3 years, p = 0.043). No difference was found in the level of Alpha-fetoprotein or unconjugated estriol (uE3) between the groups; however the level of hCG was significantly increased in women with severe hyperemesis gravidarum (1.2977 ± 0.82 vs. 1.0662 ± 0.53 MoM, p = 0.013).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increase in the level of hCG in women with severe hyperemesis gravidarum alter the results of triple test screen. This data should be incorporated when counseling patients regarding overall risk for chromosomal abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Petach Tikva, Israel. dr.peled@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Peled
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Melamed
authors.forename: Haim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krissi
authors.forename: Ram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eitan
authors.forename: Yariv
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yogev
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pardo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004964:Estriol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006939:Hyperemesis Gravidarum / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: C097353:AFP protein, human; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004964:Estriol