Laboratory options for risk assessment of pregnancy pathologies

Abstract

The most effective method of screening for chromosomal abnormalities and evaluating the risk of pregnancy pathologies in the first trimester is combined screening. The algorithm of screening is based on the combination of maternal age, measuring of the nuchal translucency and the fetal heart rate and analysis of the placental products of free ß-hCG and PAPP-A. For the screening of preeclampsia, placental growth factor (PlGF) is added. To distinguish between preeclampsia and other pathologies caused by placental dysfunction it is recommended to also extend the screening with selected immunological markers. We concluded that elevated biochemical and immunological markers can help to predict the threat of preeclampsia in the third trimester. Some markers can probably predict the development of particularly severe pathological conditions.