Dimeric inhibin A as a marker for Down's syndrome in early pregnancy

Article Abstract:

Adding a screen for maternal blood levels of inhibin A to the measurement of alpha fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin could increase the detection of Down syndrome during the second trimester of pregnancy. Inhibin is a protein produced by the placenta that contains an alpha subunit and two beta subunits, A or B. Researchers took blood samples from 58 women whose fetuses were known to have Down syndrome, 32 whose fetuses were affected with trisomy 18 and 438 who had normal fetuses. Blood levels of inhibin A in women with Down syndrome fetuses were similar to those in women with normal fetuses between 7 and 11 weeks gestation, but rose to twice the median value by 15 to 18 weeks. Adding a screen for inhibin A blood levels to a screen that included age and alpha fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin levels increased the detection rate of Down syndrome to 75%, compared to 53% when age, alpha fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin alone were used.

Methods, Diagnosis, Measurement, Down syndrome, Pregnancy proteins, Prenatal diagnosis

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Second -trimester maternal serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein and the subsequent risk of sudden infant death syndrome

Article Abstract:

The study shows that the risk of an infant's death from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increased with increasing serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein in the mother during the second trimester of pregnancy. There is a direct association between second-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels and the risk of SIDS, which may be mediated in part through impaired fetal growth and preterm birth.

Science & research, Research, Pregnant women, Infant mortality, Blood proteins

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First-trimester growth and the risk of low birth weight

Article Abstract:

Fetuses who are small for gestational age during the first trimester have an increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight. In a study of 4,229 pregnancies, fetuses who were two to six days smaller than expected during the first trimester were twice as likely to have a low birth weight and to be born prematurely compared to normal-sized fetuses.

Fetus, Birth weight, Low, Low birth weight, Growth, Body size, Body weights and measures, Fetal development

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