We confirmed the relation between maternal weight and serum alpha-fetoprotein concentration and have shown a further relation--to ethnic origin. Of these two, maternal weight is the more closely related. Oriental, white, and Hispanic women showed no significant differences in serum AFP concentrations when corrections for maternal weight were applied. Black women showed consistently higher value...

The current work aimed to study the effect of preeclampsia on maternal serum level of beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and maternal plasma level of adenosine deaminase. Ninety pregnant women with gestational age 24 26 weeks were selected for this study, they were classified into three groups: group 1 consists of 30 women with normal pregnancy, group 2 consists of 30 patients with mi...

Prenatal life is the most sensitive stage of human development to environmental pollutants. Early exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may increase the risk of adverse health effects during childhood. The mechanisms of transference of POPs during pregnancy are still not well understood. The present study is aimed to investigate the transfer of POPs between mother and fetus. The conc...

The present study was performed to compare serum concentrations of maternal and fetal angiogenic growth factors in IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and normal pregnancy at the time of delivery. VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), PlGF (placental growth factor), sFlt-1 (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1), sKDR (soluble kinase domain receptor) and bFGF (basic fibroblast growth facto...

Maternal vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon. The lack of vitamin D during pregnancy may result in poor fetal growth and altered neonatal development that may persist into later life. Recognition of risk factors and early detection of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy are important in order to prevent neonatal vitamin D deficiency and related complications. The aim of the current study was...

OBJECTIVES ADAM12-s is a placental protein. In early pregnancy, reduced maternal levels of ADAM12-s have been reported in association with foetal trisomy 21 or 18 and in cases that subsequently develop pre-eclampsia and foetal growth restriction. The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution of ADAM12-s in early pregnancy by comparing its concentration in maternal serum, amniotic flu...

BACKGROUND Trace elements play important nutritional roles in neonates. Our objective was to examine whether there are differences in maternal/neonatal serum trace element concentrations between mature infants and premature infants. METHODS During 2012, 44 infants born at National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan, were enrolled. Serum samples were collected to measure serum...

Maternal vitamin D deficiency is not uncommon. The lack of vitamin D during pregnancy may result in poor fetal growth and altered neonatal development that may persist into later life. Recognition of risk factors and early detection of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is important in order to prevent neonatal vitamin D deficiency and related complications. The aim of the current study is t...

OBJECTIVE To define the contribution of maternal variables which influence the measured level of maternal serum placental growth factor (PlGF) in screening for pregnancy complications. METHODS Maternal characteristics and medical history were recorded and serum levels of PlGF were measured in women with a singleton pregnancy attending for three routine hospital visits at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6, 19 ...

PURPOSE This study investigates correlations between mother and infant Body Mass Index (BMI), their serum leptin values and breast milk leptin concentration in early infancy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We determined serum leptin values in 58 healthy infants and leptin values in their mothers' breast milk, using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Infant and maternal anthropometrics were measured. RESULTS Med...