Nuchal translucency thickness measurements for fetal aneuploidy screening: Log NT-MoM or Delta-NT, performer-specific medians and ultrasound training.

Objectives: To evaluate in fetal aneuploidy screening the desirability of using Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) normal medians of nuchal translucency thickness (NT) measurements or performer-specific medians, and whether the NT measurements should be expressed as Delta-NT or Log NT-MoM values.

Settings: First trimester-combined screening programme in a low risk population in Flanders, Belgium (Algemeen Medisch Laboratorium, Antwerp).

Methods: Pregnancies unaffected by trisomy 21 (T21) were screened by FMF-trained or other ultrasonographers.

Population screening for fetal trisomy 21: easy access to screening should be balanced against a uniform ultrasound protocol.

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of a first-trimester fetal aneuploidy screening program, with a documented underestimation of nuchal translucency thickness measurements (NT) compared to the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) reference range.

Methods: We analysed the data of Algemeen Medisch Laboratorium (AML) in Antwerp, Belgium, on combined screening with pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (FB-hCG) and NT. NT-multiples of the median (MoM), relative to the FMF reference range, were used for risk calculations.

Single-step maternal serum screening for trisomy 21 in the era of combined or integrated screening.

Single-step maternal serum screening (MSS) in the first (1MSS) or second (2MSS) trimester at maternal age > or =35 years was evaluated in the North Belgian region Flanders, where difficulties are encountered in the general introduction of combined or integrated screening algorithms. The fetal aneuploidy screening database of General Medical Laboratory AML in Antwerp was searched for 2MSS tests between 1992 and 1999 (alpha-fetoprotein, beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-HCG) and unconjugated estriol, cut-off 1:300) and for 1MSS tests between 1999 and 2003 (free beta-HCG and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A, cut-off 1:85). At > or =35 years, the detection rate for trisomy 21 (DR) was 93.

Screening for trisomy 21 in Flanders: a 10 years review of 40.490 pregnancies screened by maternal serum.

Objective: To evaluate maternal serum screening for trisomy 21 (MSS) in Flanders between 1992 and 2002.

Study Design: Data of a large database on the results of MSS, nuchal translucency (NT) and pregnancy outcome were analysed retrospectively.

Results: Despite an excellent performance of second trimester MSS at a maternal age > or = 35 years (94.