Maternal serum placental growth factor and α-fetoprotein testing in first trimester screening for Down syndrome.

Objective: The aim of this research was to evaluate the addition of first trimester maternal serum placental growth factor (PlGF) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) to the combined test for Down syndrome and a serum only protocol of PlGF, AFP, free β-human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A.

Methods: Samples were from 92 Down syndrome cases with 552 matched controls. All women had a combined test at 11-14 weeks gestation.

Second trimester maternal serum ADAM12 levels in Down's syndrome pregnancies.

Objective: To estimate the utility of maternal serum ADAM12 as a Down's syndrome marker.

Methods: Samples from 71 Down's syndrome affected pregnancies were retrieved from - 20 degrees C storage together with 710 controls matched for gestation and storage time. ADAM12 was measured prior to identification of the affected pregnancies, and expressed in multiples of the gestation-specific median (MoM).