The identification of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in maternal circulation has made non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) possible. Maternal plasma cell free DNA is a mixture of maternal and fetal DNA, of which, fetal DNA represents a minor population in maternal plasma. Therefore, methods with high sensitivity and precision are required to detect and differentiate fetal DNA from the large backg...

Maternal plasma fatty acid changes were measured in early pregnancy and an increase in maternal plasma DHA concentration is initiated in human pregnancy prior to neural tube closure which occurs at 28 days' gestation.

Fetal intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a frequently occurring and serious complication of pregnancy. Infants exposed to IUGR are at risk for numerous perinatal morbidities, including hypoglycemia in the neonatal period, as well as increased risk of later physical and/or mental impairments, cardiovascular disease and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Fetal growth restriction most...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine (i) the effect of maternal obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on (i) the circulating levels of omentin-1 in cord and maternal plasma, and (ii) gene expression and release of omentin-1 from human placenta and adipose tissue. The effect of pregnancy on circulating omentin-1 levels was also determined. DESIGN Omentin-1 levels were mea...

of delivery (14) the mean (±SE) plasma concentration of glucose was 99±7 mg/100 ml, insulin 32±6 ,uU/ml, glucagon 183±17 pg/ml. These levels were similar to those occurring in mothers who did not have an i.v. infusion, permitting pooling of the two groups for further analysis. The 't' test for paired data was used for statistical comparison of plasma concentrations of metabolite or hormones. Th...

background: the discovery of circulating fetal dna in maternal blood led to the discovery of new strategies to perform noninvasive testing for prenatal diagnosis. objective: the purpose of the study was to detect fetal aneuploidy at chromosomes 13, 18, 21, x, and y by analysis of fetal cell-free dna from maternal blood, without endangering pregnancy. materials and methods: this retrospective st...

It has been proposed that maternal nutrient restriction may alter the functional development of the adipocyte and the synthesis and secretion of the adipocyte-derived hormone, leptin, before birth. We have investigated the effects of restricted periconceptional undernutrition and/or restricted gestational nutrition on fetal plasma leptin concentrations and fetal adiposity in late gestation. The...

To evaluate the adequacy of maternal pyridoxine supplementation during pregnancy for both maternal and neonatal status at birth, vitamin B6 status, assessed by plasma pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), pyridoxal (PL) and total aldehyde vitamer (PLP + PL) concentrations, and the growth of neonates, including weight, length, head and chest circumferences, were examined for 209 neonates whose mothers were...