Publications by authors named "D P L Straetmans"
It is still unclear to which extent methyl-group intake during pregnancy can affect maternal global DNA (hydroxyl)methylation. Pregnancy methylation profiling and its link with methyl-group intake in a healthy population could enhance our understanding of the development of pregnancy related disorders. One hundred forty-eight women were enrolled in the MANOE (MAternal Nutrition and Offspring's Epigenome) study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The present proficiency study aimed to elucidate the comparability and reliability of test systems for the determination of AFP concentrations.
Methods: 25 laboratories using 8 different commercial test systems used liquid BIOREF-AFP control serum in their routine internal quality control over a period of one year. For statistical analysis the results were collected centrally.
Objective: The study was conducted to identify predictors of oligoamenorrhea at 12 months in levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) users.
Design: A 12-month observational study.
Setting: Gynecologic outpatient clinic in a large regional hospital in Flanders, Belgium.
Objective: To design a trisomy 21 screening protocol for sequential triage in the first trimester, and to evaluate whether it reduces the need for advanced ultrasound scanning to such an extent that this could be dealt with by a limited number of well-trained sonographers only.
Methods: Screening results of 31 trisomy 21 affected pregnancies and 16 096 unaffected pregnancies from the first trimester screening program of Algemeen Medisch Laboratorium in Antwerp, Belgium, were used to define high-risk, intermediate-risk and low-risk groups. A serum screening result (age, pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG)) of >or=1 : 30 and/or a nuchal translucency thickness (NT) measurement of >or= 3.