Comparison of multiple-marker screening with amniocentesis for the detection of fetal aneuploidy in women greater than or equal to 35 years old

Article Abstract:

A combination screening test for pregnant women to detect fetal defects may not be as accurate as amniocentesis. The screening test analyzes the blood of pregnant women 35 years and over for abnormal levels of three substances. Researchers compared the results of the screening test to those of amniocentesis for 1942 women aged 35 and over. The combination blood screening test may be more accurate in women aged 35 and over than in younger women, but it still did not detect 39% of the fetal chromosome abnormalities. Amniocentesis detected all 31 fetuses with abnormalities. Information on fetal loss rates caused by amniocentesis and on the inaccuracies of the combination blood screening test should be given to older pregnant women for decision making purposes.

Abnormalities, Fetus, Amniocentesis, Aneuploidy

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Elevated second-trimester dimeric inhibin A levels identify Down syndrome pregnancies

Article Abstract:

Elevated levels of dimeric inhibin A in maternal blood during the second trimester of pregnancy may be useful in identifying fetal Down's syndrome. Inhibin A levels were determined each week between 14 and 20 weeks gestation in 40-50 normal pregnancies and 33 Down's syndrome pregnancies. Markedly elevated levels identified 70% of the Down's syndrome pregnancies with a false positive rate of 22%. When estriol was replaced with inhibin A in the current three-marker screening panel, sensitivity was improved, resulting in 94% identification of Down's syndrome cases.

Inhibin, Prenatal diagnosis

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Effect of parity correction on Down syndrome detection by the multiple-marker screening test

Article Abstract:

Adjusting the multiple-marker screening test for prior births may increase the test's ability to identify fetuses at risk for having Down syndrome. Women who have had prior children normally have lower circulating levels of human chorionic gonadotropin, one of the substances measured in the multiple-marker screening test. In a group of 3,039 tests of which 56 fetuses were eventually found to have Down syndrome, adjusting for prior children increased the test's Down syndrome detection rate from 71% to 82%.

Measurement, Medical screening, Health screening, Chorionic gonadotropin, Chorionic gonadotropins

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