Antenatal screening for Down syndrome using serum placental growth factor with the combined, quadruple, serum integrated and integrated tests.

Objective: To estimate the value of first or second trimester placental growth factor (PlGF) as an additional antenatal screening marker for Down syndrome.

Design: Nested case-control study.

Setting: Antenatal screening service.

Screening for pre-eclampsia using serum placental growth factor and endoglin with Down's syndrome Quadruple test markers.

Objective: To estimate the pre-eclampsia screening performance of placental growth factor (PlGF) and endoglin with second-trimester Quadruple test markers used for antenatal Down's syndrome screening.

Methods: A nested case-control study of 88 pregnant women with known early second-trimester Down's syndrome Quadruple test marker levels who subsequently developed pre-eclampsia and 275 unaffected controls. Frozen maternal serum samples were thawed and assayed for PlGF and endoglin.

The value of early second trimester PAPP-A and ADAM12 in screening for pre-eclampsia.

Objective: To estimate the pre-eclampsia screening performance of PAPP-A (pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A) and ADAM12 (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease 12) in the early second trimester of pregnancy.

Methods: Stored frozen serum samples from a previously published nested case-control study comprising 77 women who developed pre-eclampsia and 224 unaffected controls were thawed and assayed for PAPP-A and ADAM12. Levels were converted into multiple of the unaffected median (MoM) values.

Antenatal thyroid screening and childhood cognitive function.

Background: Children born to women with low thyroid hormone levels have been reported to have decreased cognitive function.

Methods: We conducted a randomized trial in which pregnant women at a gestation of 15 weeks 6 days or less provided blood samples for measurement of thyrotropin and free thyroxine (T(4)). Women were assigned to a screening group (in which measurements were obtained immediately) or a control group (in which serum was stored and measurements were obtained shortly after delivery).

Screening in early pregnancy for pre-eclampsia using Down syndrome quadruple test markers.

Objectives: To estimate the screening performance of early second-trimester prenatal serum markers for Down syndrome, in screening for the development of pre-eclampsia, and analyse the uncertainty over its screening performance.

Methods: A nested case-control study was carried out on 96 women with pre-eclampsia and 5 controls for each case from among the women attending three hospitals in London for their prenatal care. Record linkage between computerized obstetric and screening databases identified women with pre-eclampsia and unaffected control women.