First trimester low maternal serum pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) as a screening method for adverse pregnancy outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate different cut-off values of first trimester pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in screening for adverse pregnancy outcomes in a retrospective cohort study. METHODS: During the study period of 1.1.2014-31.12.2018, total of 23,482 women with singleton pregnancies participated in first trimester combined screening for chromosomal abnormalities. Maternal serum PAPP-A multiple of medians (MoM) levels were measured, and study population was divided into three study groups of PAPP-A ≤0.40 (n=1,030), ≤0.35 (n=630) and ≤0.30 (n=363) MoM. RESULTS: Small for gestational age (SGA), preterm birth (PTB) and composite outcome (SGA, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy (HDP) and/or PTB) were more frequent in all three PAPP-A MoM study groups and pre-eclampsia in ≤0.40 and ≤0.35 study groups than in their control groups (p < 0.05). The odds ratio (OR) for SGA varied from 3.7 to 5.4 and sensitivity and specificity from 6.9 to 13.8% and from 95.9 to 98.6%, between study groups. Using PAPP-A ≤0.30 MoM as a screening cut-off instead of PAPP-A ≤0.40 MoM, resulted in approximately 50% reduction in screening detection of SGA and PTB. CONCLUSIONS: PAPP-A ≤0.40 MoM should be considered as a primary screening cut-off for adverse pregnancy outcomes as approximately 23% will develop either SGA, HDP or PTB. It seems to be the best cut-off to screen for SGA.

Placental and fetal hemodynamics in prolonged pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that Doppler measurements of the placental and fetal central and peripheral hemodynamics would predict adverse outcomes in prolonged uncomplicated singleton pregnancies. METHOD: A total of 160 participants were recruited to this study. Doppler measurements of placental and fetal hemodynamics as well as cardiotocography (CTG) were assessed prior to induction of labor at >41+ weeks. CTG during delivery, umbilical artery (UA) pH and base excess at birth and neonatal data were evaluated. RESULTS: In 16% of cases the outcome was unfavorable, defined as UA pH <7.10, 5-min Apgar score <7, cesarean delivery for fetal distress and/or need for admission to neonatal intensive care. There were no differences in the pulsatility indices of the uterine and umbilical arteries, middle cerebral artery, descending aorta, ductus venosus and inferior vena cava between the groups with favorable and unfavorable outcome. In addition, the ventricular inflow patterns, outflow velocities of the great arteries, cardiac outputs and myocardial performance indices were similar between the groups. CONCLUSION: Doppler parameters of the placental and fetal central and peripheral hemodynamics do not differ prior to the induction of labor in prolonged pregnancies with favorable and unfavorable outcomes. This suggests that their value is limited and that other clinical tools are needed for intermittent fetal surveillance in prolonged pregnancies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.