title: First trimester placental markers in oocyte donation pregnancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study investigates the hypothesis that placenta works differently in oocyte donation (OD) compared to spontaneous pregnancies. To verify this hypothesis we examine the first trimester maternal serum levels of free β-hCG and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A). Then we evaluated for potential differences of Down syndrome screening between OD pregnancies, in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection pregnancies with autologous oocytes (IVF/ICSI) and spontaneous pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyze 13624 spontaneously conceived pregnancies (Controls), 171 oocyte donation pregnancies (OD IVF/ICSI) and 76 IVF pregnancies with autologous oocytes (Autologous IVF/ICSI). Furthermore, we collect a cohort of 802 spontaneously conceived age-matched pregnancies, in order to evaluate how older uteri contribute to explain the changes in markers concentrations (Age-matched controls We compare the multiples of the median (MoM) of free β-hCG and PAPP-A and nuchal translucency.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Free β-hCG levels are significantly higher both in OD IVF/ICSI pregnancies (1.44 ± 1.06 MoM) and Autologous IVF/ICSI (1.48 ± 1.02 MoM) compared to Controls (1.15 ± 0.84 MoM; p < 0.05) and Age-matched Controls (1.18 ± 0.98 MoM; p < 0.05). PAPP-A levels do not significantly differ among the four groups. Significantly lower nuchal translucency is detected in Controls (1.41 ± 0.36 mm) compared to OD IVF/ICSI (1.46 ± 0.44 mm; p < 0.05), in Autologous IVF/ICSI (1.51 ± 0.34 mm; p < 0.05) and Age-matched Controls (1.44 ± 0.42 mm; p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oocyte donation pregnancies (OD IVF/ICSI) are significantly related to altered maternal serum placenta marker levels. These alterations might be due to the IVF technique.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; Centre for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Valeria M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Savasi
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; Centre for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mandia
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; Centre for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laoreti
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ghisoni
authors.affiliation: Statistical and Biometry Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Piergiorgio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duca
authors.affiliation: Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Hospital "L. Sacco", University of Milan, Via G. B. Grassi, 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; Centre for Fetal Research Giorgio Pardi, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: irene.cetin@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cetin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018997:Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A
keywords: Free β-hCG; Oocyte donation pregnancies (OD IVF/ICSI); PAPP-A; Placental markers; Pregnancies with autologous oocytes (autologous IVF/ICSI)