title: Midtrimester amniotic fluid concentrations of angiogenic factors in relation to maternal, gestational and neonatal characteristics in normal pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe associations among maternal/gestational/neonatal characteristics and midpregnancy amniotic fluid concentrations of the main angiogenic markers vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cohort of 206 normal full-term pregnancies, midpregnancy amniotic fluid VEGF and PlGF reference values were recorded. Possible associations among the above concentrations and various parameters, such as maternal age and body mass index, race, parity, smoking, gestational age, delivery mode, birth-weight and fetal gender were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Midpregnancy amniotic fluid concentrations of both VEGF and PlGF increased with increasing gestational age (r = 0.173, p = 0.013 and r = 0.255, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas PlGF concentrations positively correlated with birth-weight (r = 0.154, p = 0.027). The effect of the other above-mentioned parameters on VEGF and PlGF concentrations was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In normal pregnancies, midgestation amniotic fluid VEGF and PlGF concentrations positively correlate with gestational age. Furthermore, midgestation amniotic fluid PlGF concentrations may be a predictor of neonatal birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Thalis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Papapostolou
authors.forename: Despina D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Briana
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iavazzo
authors.forename: Karl-Phillip
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Puchner
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gourgiotis
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marmarinos
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor