The aim of this study was to investigate the maternal serum of soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G) levels in pregnancies complicated by severe preeclampsia. Patients and methods: The study was conducted on 43 patients with pregnancy complicated by severe preeclampsia (the PRE group). The control group consisted of 30 healthy normotensive patients with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies ...

PROBLEM Inflammation during pregnancy has devastating consequences for the placenta and fetus. These events are incompletely understood, thereby hampering screening and treatment. METHOD OF STUDY The inflammatory profile of villous tissue was studied in pregnancies at high-risk of placental dysfunction and compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. The systemic inflammatory profile was assessed i...

OBJECTIVE As a consequence of environmental exposure, organochlorine pesticides accumulate in lipid rich-tissues such as maternal adipose tissue and partition to maternal blood serum and umbilical blood serum. To establish their distribution in the human body, the concentration gradients of organochlorine pesticides between these compartments were determined. MATERIAL AND METHODS Maternal adi...

Fetal serum markers, such as alpha fetoprotein (AFP), must traverse one of two very different pathways to reach maternal serum, either from fetus to amnion fluid, membranes and decidua or from fetal to maternal circulation through the placental villi. Alpha fetoprotein usually enters the amnion fluid through body wall defects uncovered by skin or through urine. Placental AFP leakage may be from...

Micronutrient deficiencies exist among women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates but the effects of maternal micronutrient deficiency on fetal growth are not well documented. To investigate the association between micronutrients and birth weight, we measured maternal and cord blood micronutrients (vitamin A, C, D, and E) and ferritin in 84 term, singleton infants born to healthy Ara...

background: preeclampsia along with its complications seems to be one of the major causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. despite numerous studies, the pathology of preeclampsia has not yet been fully elucidated. this study, therefore, determines whether maternal serum levels of androgen and progesterone are higher in patients with preeclampsia than in matched control subjects.   methods: ...

OBJECTIVE To examine the distribution of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) at 12, 22 and 32 weeks' gestation in singleton pregnancies which develop pre-eclampsia (PE) and examine the performance of these biomarkers in screening for PE. METHODS Serum PAPP-A and free β-hCG were measured in 94 989 cases at 11-13 weeks, 7...

OBJECTIVE To define the contribution of maternal variables which influence the measured level of maternal serum pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in screening for pregnancy complications. METHODS Maternal characteristics and medical history were recorded and serum PAPP-A was measured in women with a singleton pregnancy attending for three routine hospital visits at 11 + 0 to 13 +...

OBJECTIVE To define the contribution of maternal variables which influence the measured level of maternal serum free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) in screening for pregnancy complications. METHODS Maternal characteristics and medical history were recorded and serum free β-hCG was measured in women with a singleton pregnancy attending for three routine hospital visits at 11 + 0 to 13 ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the concentrations of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (AFABP) and other adipocytokines in maternal and cord serum of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and of control subjects and to relate them to indexes of insulin sensitivity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 86 control and 98 GDM pregnant women, venous blood was collected before vaginal deliv...