Anemia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Anemia, including details on symptoms, diagnosis, diet, treatment, causes. | ||||||||
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Human chorionic gonadotropin and plasma protein-A in alpha0-thalassemia pregnancies.Ong CY, Lee CP, Leung KY, Lau E, Tang MH Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University of Hong Kong. cytong@hkucc.hku.hk OBJECTIVE: Maternal serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) have been used effectively in the screening of Down syndrome in the first trimester. In this study, we aim to measure the value of first-trimester maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A as predictors of homozygous alpha0-thalassemia-affected pregnancies. METHODS: Free beta-hCG and PAPP-A concentrations were measured in stored maternal serum samples obtained at 12 weeks of gestation from 22 women with fetuses affected by homozygous alpha0-thalassemia and from 436 controls matched for maternal age, ethnicity, and weight, as well as gestation at blood sampling. RESULTS: Maternal serum concentration of free beta-hCG was significantly increased in women with pregnancies affected by homozygous alpha0-thalassemia than in controls (P = .001). Concentrations of PAPP-A did not differ between the cases affected by homozygous alpha0-thalassemia and the controls (P = .652). CONCLUSION: Pregnancies affected by homozygous alpha0-thalassemia are associated with increased maternal serum free beta-hCG at 11-14 weeks of gestation. This serum analyte alone may not be clinically useful as a predictor of pregnancies affected by homozygous alpha0-thalassemia. However, the absence of ultrasound features of fetal anemia and hydropic changes, together with normal maternal serum free beta-hCG and PAPP-A in the first trimester, will be reassuring signs of normality for fetuses at risk of homozygous alpha0-thalassemia and, hence, enable women to avoid invasive tests in unaffected pregnancies. Published 1 September 2006 in Obstet Gynecol, 108(3): 651-5.
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