Clinical implementation of pre-eclampsia screening in the first trimester of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: Early identification of preeclampia in the first trimester of pregnancy represents one of the major challenges of modern fetal medicine. The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation of preeclampsia screening in Tuscany, Italy. The secondary aim was to evaluate pregnancy/neonatal outcome in the positive screening group compared with the negative screening group. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study including singleton pregnancies undergoing screening for preeclampsia. The screening test was a multiparametric algorithm based on maternal history, biochemical and biophysical parameters (Fetal Medicine Foundation algorithm). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The overall performance of the test was calculated, in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value and in relation to gestational age at onset (primary aim). Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were then compared between the positive and negative population at preeclampsia screening test (secondary aim). RESULTS: Of the 5719 patients enrolled, 4797 were included in the analysis. The sensitivity for early onset of preeclampsia (≤34 weeks) was 0.75 (CI:0.41-0.93) and specificity 0.93 (CI:0.92-0.94) for a false positive rate of 7%. The population that tested positive for preeclampsia screening showed a higher incidence of deliveries at lower gestational ages (p < 0.001), preeclampsia onset despite prophylaxis with aspirin (p < 0.001), emergency caesarean section (p < 0.001), low fetal birth weight (p < 0.001) and neonatal admission in intensive care unit (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm the validity of first trimester screening test in identifying a category of patients at greatest risk for preeclampsia even in the presence of a post-test pharmacological prophylaxis.

Incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with first trimester ultrasound anomalies and a low-risk cell-free DNA test for common trisomies.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the incidence and type of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with first trimester ultrasound anomalies and a low-risk cfDNA test for common trisomies. METHODS: In 486 singleton pregnancies undergoing invasive testing after combined screening, a detailed first trimester ultrasound assessment was carried out and a maternal blood sample was sent for cfDNA analysis. Ultrasound and cfDNA data were analyzed in relation to fetal karyotype. RESULTS: Invasive testing demonstrated a chromosomal abnormality in 157 (32.3%) of 486 fetuses. In 348 cases with a low-risk cfDNA test for common trisomies, NT ≥ 3.5 mm and/or a major structural defect were observed in 92 (26.4%) fetuses. A chromosomal abnormality was found in 17 (18.5%; 95%CI 10.55-26.41) of these pregnancies, including 1 (1.1%) case of trisomy 21 and 16 (17.4%) fetuses with abnormalities different from common trisomies. The respective incidence in the 256 cases with a low-risk cfDNA test result and no ultrasound anomalies was 2.3% (95% CI 0.49-4.20; n = 6). CONCLUSIONS: In fetuses with first trimester ultrasound anomalies and a low-risk cfDNA result for trisomy 21, 18 and 13, diagnostic testing should be offered with the main objective to detect chromosomal abnormalities beyond common trisomies.

Screening for Common Fetal Trisomies in Twin Pregnancies: First-Trimester Combined, Cell-Free DNA, or Both?

OBJECTIVE: To examine the distribution of risks for fetal trisomies after first-trimester combined screening in twins and to investigate different strategies for clinical implementation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all twin pregnancies undergoing first-trimester combined screening over a 10 years' period. The population was stratified according to various risk cut-offs, and we examined different screening strategies for implementation of cfDNA testing in terms of impact on invasive testing rate, cfDNA test failure rate, and economic costs. RESULTS: We included 572 twin pregnancies: 480 (83.92%) dichorionic and 92 (16.08%) monochorionic. Performing a first-line combined screening and offering cfDNA testing to the group with a risk between 1 in 10 and 1 in 1,000, would lead to an invasive testing rate of 2.45%, and cfDNA testing would be performed in 22.20% of the population. This strategy would be cost-neutral compared to universal combined screening alone. CONCLUSIONS: First-trimester combined screening results can be used to stratify twin pregnancies into different risk categories and select those that could be offered cfDNA testing. A contingent screening strategy would substantially decrease the need for invasive testing in twins and it would be cost-neutral compared to combined testing alone.

Development of customized fetal growth charts in twins.

BACKGROUND: Twin gestations are at significantly higher risk of fetal growth restriction in comparison with singletons. Using fetal biometric charts customized for obstetrical and parental characteristics may facilitate an accurate assessment of fetal growth. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to construct reference charts for the gestation of fetal biometric parameters stratified by chorionicity and customized for obstetrical and parental characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: Fetal biometric measurements obtained from serial ultrasound examinations in uncomplicated twin pregnancies delivering after 36 weeks of gestation were collected by 19 Italian fetal medicine units under the auspices of the Società Italiana di Ecografia Ostetrica e Ginecologica. The measurements acquired in each fetus at each examination included biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Multilevel linear regression models were used to adjust for the serial ultrasonographic measurements obtained and the clustering of each fetus in twin pregnancy. The impact of maternal and paternal characteristics (height, weight, ethnicity), parity, fetal sex, and mode of conception was also considered. Models for each parameter were stratified by fetal chorionicity and compared with our previously constructed growth curves for singletons. RESULTS: The data set included 1781 twin pregnancies (dichorionic, n = 1289; monochorionic diamniotic, n = 492) with 8923 ultrasonographic examinations with a median of 5 (range, 2-8) observations per pregnancy in dichorionic and 6 in (range, 2-11) monochorionic pregnancies. Growth curves of twin pregnancies differed from those of singletons, and differences were more marked in monochorionic twins and during the third trimester. A significant influence of parental characteristics was found. CONCLUSION: Curves of fetal biometric measurements in twins are influenced by parental characteristics. There is a reduction in the growth rate during the third trimester. The reference limits for gestation constructed in this study may provide a useful tool for a more accurate assessment of fetal growth in twin pregnancies.

Validation of a method for noninvasive prenatal testing for fetal aneuploidies risk and considerations for its introduction in the Public Health System.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to validate noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for fetal aneuploidies by whole-genome massively parallel sequencing (MPS). METHODS: MPS was performed on cell-free DNA (cfDNA) isolated from maternal plasma in two groups: a first set of 186 euploid samples and a second set of 195 samples enriched of aneuploid cases (n = 69); digital PCR for fetal fraction (FF) assessment was performed on 178/381 samples. Cases with <10 × 106 reads (n = 54) were excluded for downstream data analysis. Follow-up data (invasive testing results or neonatal information) were available for all samples. Performances in terms of specificity/sensitivity and Z-score distributions were evaluated. RESULTS: All positive samples for trisomy 21 (T21) (n = 43), trisomy 18 (T18) (n = 6) and trisomy 13 (T13) (n = 7) were correctly identified (sensitivity: 99.9%); 5 false positive results were reported: 3 for T21 (specificity = 98.9%) and 2 for T13 (specificity = 99.4%). Besides FF, total cfDNA concentration seems another important parameter for MPS, since it influences the number of reads. CONCLUSIONS: The overall test accuracy allowed us introducing NIPT for T21, T18 and T13 as a clinical service for pregnant women after 10 + 4 weeks of gestation. Sex chromosome aneuploidy assessment needs further validation due to the limited number of aneuploid cases in this study.

First trimester contingent screening for trisomies 21,18,13: is this model cost efficient and feasible in public health system?

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of three different first trimester screening models for trisomies 21, 18 and 13, in terms of detection rate, invasive test rate and final costs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the distribution of risk for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 in a population of 20,831 singleton pregnancies based on maternal age, fetal heart rate, nuchal translucency, free beta human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (Combined test). On the basis of our data, we estimated the performance and cost of screening for trisomies using three different models at specific cutoffs: Combined test; Cell free DNA test and Contingent screening test. RESULTS: Using Combined test, DR for major trisomies was estimated to be 94.92%, invasive test rate was 6.3%. cfDNA would result in a DR of 97.92%, with an invasive test rate of 3.64%. Contingent screening approach would result in an overall DR of 97.82, with a rate for invasive procedure of 1.36% and a final cost lower than other screening policies (2,338,433 euro vs 5,796,060 of cfDNA and 2,385,473 of Combined test). CONCLUSIONS: Contingent screening test could be a cost-efficient and feasible first trimester screening test for aneuploidies in public health system.

Cell-free DNA testing in the maternal blood in high-risk pregnancies after first-trimester combined screening.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate a strategy for clinical implementation of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing in high-risk pregnancies after first-trimester combined screening. METHODS: In 259 singleton pregnancies undergoing invasive testing after first-trimester combined screening, a maternal blood sample was sent to the laboratory Natera for cfDNA testing using a single-nucleotide polymorphism-based methodology. RESULTS: The cfDNA test provided a result in 249 (96.1%) pregnancies and, among these, identified as being at high risk 35 of 36 cases of trisomy 21, 13 of 13 with trisomy 18, five of five with trisomy 13 and three of four with sex chromosome aneuploidies. A policy of performing an invasive test in women with a combined risk of ≥1 in 10 or NT ≥4 mm and offering cfDNA testing to the remaining cases would detect all cases of trisomy 21, 18 or 13, 80% of sex aneuploidies and 62.5% of other defects and would avoid an invasive procedure in 82.4% of euploid fetuses. CONCLUSION: In high-risk pregnancies after combined screening, a policy of selecting a subgroup for invasive testing and another for cfDNA testing would substantially reduce the number of invasive procedures and retain the ability to diagnose most of the observed aneuploidies.

Customized Fetal Growth Charts for Parents' Characteristics, Race, and Parity by Quantile Regression Analysis: A Cross-sectional Multicenter Italian Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to construct fetal biometric charts between 16 and 40 weeks' gestation that were customized for parental characteristics, race, and parity, using quantile regression analysis. METHODS: In a multicenter cross-sectional study, 8070 sonographic examinations from low-risk pregnancies between 16 and 40 weeks' gestation were analyzed. The fetal measurements obtained were biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur diaphysis length. Quantile regression was used to examine the impact of parental height and weight, parity, and race across biometric percentiles for the fetal measurements considered. RESULTS: Paternal and maternal height were significant covariates for all of the measurements considered (P < .05). Maternal weight significantly influenced head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur diaphysis length. Parity was significantly associated with biparietal diameter and head circumference. Central African race was associated with head circumference and femur diaphysis length, whereas North African race was only associated with femur diaphysis length. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we constructed customized biometric growth charts using quantile regression in a large cohort of low-risk pregnancies. These charts offer the advantage of defining individualized normal ranges of fetal biometric parameters at each specific percentile corrected for parental height and weight, parity, and race. This study supports the importance of including these variables in routine sonographic screening for fetal growth abnormalities.

Hysteroscopic fetoscopy: A role as virtuopsy for parents who refuse full autopsy? A case of facial clefting, proboscis, and limb deformities.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the value of hysteroscopic fetoscopy (virtuopsy) at the time of uterine suction in a case of early diagnosis of congenital anomalies in parents refusing conventional full autopsy examination. CASE REPORT: First trimester ultrasound diagnosis of proboscis, median cleft lip and palate and limb deformities. Chorionic villus sampling demonstrated normal karyotype. Parents refused medical induction of termination of pregnancy with subsequent conventional autopsy. At this stage, hysteroscopic fetoscopy was consented and carried out under local anesthesia prior to uterine evacuation. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopic fetoscopy (virtuopsy) proved to be a valuable complementary diagnostic investigation and enhanced the parental bonding process concerning the fetal phenotype. Notwithstanding, the woman declared an acceptable compliance during the procedure. In selected cases, virtuopsy may be a valid option in confirming early prenatal ultrasound diagnosis in parents refusing conventional autopsy or when full postmortem examination may not be clinically indicated or warranted.