title: Prenatal screening at 11-13+6 weeks in assisted reproductive technology singleton pregnancies and those conceived naturally.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether assisted reproductive technology (ART) increases the risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2034 singleton pregnant women were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into ART (574 fetuses) and control groups (1460 fetuses conceived naturally). All pregnant women received screening according to the Fetal Medicine Foundation, London 2004 Kypros H. Nicolaides guidelines at 11-13+6 weeks of gestation. Accordingly, women with value at risk of chromosomal abnormalities >1:250 underwent chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean body mass index was 22.83 ± 3.27 versus 21.29 ± 2.81 kg/m(2) in the ART and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Mean maternal age was higher in the ART group (31.07 ± 4.30 vs 28.16 ± 3.99 years, P < 0.001). Crown-rump length (CRL) and biparietal diameter (BPD) were significantly higher in the ART group (P < 0.001), but free β-human chorionic gonadotropin and plasma protein-A MoM were similar between the groups. Interestingly, nuchal translucency thickness in the ART group was significantly higher than in the control group, but the difference disappeared at 13-13+6 weeks. Positive ultrasound screening rate was not significantly different. The prevalence of high risk (3.83% vs 3.83%) and that of abnormal karyotype (0.35% vs 0.21%) were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the negative factors associated with the infertile women themselves, ART did not seem to increase the risk of fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Additionally, fetus size in the ART group was bigger than that in the natural conception group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Obstetrics and Gynecology Ultrasound Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Yu-guo
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ming
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059785:Karyotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: assisted reproductive technology; biochemical marker; chromosome abnormality; natural pregnancy; serum; ultrasound screening