Placental function and fetal weight are associated with maternal hemodynamic indices in uncomplicated pregnancies at 35-37 weeks of gestation.

Background: Over the years, there has been an increasing interest in the assessment of maternal hemodynamic responses during pregnancy. With the use of both noninvasive devices and/or maternal echocardiography, it has been shown that mothers who have pregnancy complications have altered hemodynamics compared with those who have uncomplicated pregnancies. It also has been suggested that preexisting maternal cardiac changes might drive the development of complications in pregnancy that are associated with impaired placentation.

First-trimester screening-biomarkers and cell-free DNA.

Background: The introduction of cell-free DNA into clinical practice has changed the screening approach. Healthcare professionals and future parents tend to overestimate NIPT (noninvasive prenatal testing) capabilities despite its relatively high cost and limited information.

Objective: In this review, our aim was to survey how various countries have introduced contingent screening models and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the combined screening test and the use of NIPT.

Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing beyond Trisomies.

The last decade has seen incredible advances in the genetic era, in next-generation sequencing of cell-free DNA in the maternal plasma, detecting abnormal fetal chromosomes. Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has showed increased sensitivity and specificity for Down syndrome superior to any other screening test. Technical advances have made possible the detection of other conditions which does not necessarily mean clinical benefit for the patient.