THE DETECTION OF NON-IMMUNE HYDROPS THROUGH SECOND-TRIMESTER MATERNAL SERUM SCREENING

✍ Scribed by DEVEREUX N. SALLER Jr.; JACOB A. CANICK; CALVIN E. OYER

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 352 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0197-3851
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0223(199605)16:5<431::aid-pd877>3.0.co;2-v

✦ Synopsis

The objective was to investigate whether non-immune hydrops in euploid pregnancies is associated with alterations in the second-trimester levels of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), unconjugated oestriol (uE3), and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Ten singleton cases of fetal non-immune hydrops were identified. The aetiology and timing of onset of the earliest signs of non-immune hydrops, including polyhydramnios, in relation to maternal serum screening for Down syndrome were assessed. There was no clear relationship between the aetiology of non-immune hydrops and the analyte levels, as aetiologies vaned widely. AFP levels were elevated overall (median= 1.78 MOM) and uE3 levels were unremarkable (median=0.82 MOM). hCG levels were elevated (median=3.53 MOM) when non-immune hydrops was present at the time of screening, but were unremarkable (median=0.82 MOM) when the non-immune hydrops presented later. It is concluded that second-trimester non-immune hydrops is associated with elevated hCG levels.