OBJECTIVE Nuchal translucency (NT) seen ultrasonographically at 11-14 weeks' gestation is a sensitive marker for Down syndrome. Despite its important role for Down syndrome screening, its use is still considered controversial due to high false-positive rates. We speculated that progesterone could lead to abnormal blood flow patterns and, subsequently, to increased NT. Our primary endpoint was t...

We describe the histological examination of 18 aborted fetuses that had increased nuchal translucency (NT) between 11(+0) and 13(+6) weeks' gestation. The aim of this study was to assess the corresponding NT anatomic features by immunohistochemical (IHC) investigation. A morphological study was performed using lymphatic and blood endothelial specific markers, as well as smooth muscle actin (SMA...

Background: To present bilateral lower extremity agenesis which is a rare anomaly and to point out importance of transvaginal sonography (TVS) for the antenatal diagnosis of such anomalies during early in pregnancy. Case: A 25 year-old pregnant woman admitted to our department for first trimester nuchal translucency screening sonography. TVS revealed a 12 weeks and 2 days fetus with positive ca...

BACKGROUND To investigate normal reference values of nuchal translucency (NT) thickness in normal Taiwanese fetuses between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation. METHODS A prospective study of ultrasound measurements of fetal NT and crown-rump length (CRL) at 11-14 weeks of gestation was conducted in 724 consecutive Taiwanese fetuses between 1998 and 2001. The relationship between NT and 5-mm interva...

OBJECTIVES Document patient choices and screening performance (false positive and detection rates) when three improved Down syndrome screening protocols were introduced coincidentally. METHOD Second-trimester 'triple marker' screening was expanded by adding second-trimester dimeric inhibin-A (four-marker), with or without first-trimester pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (five-marker). Nu...

Nuchal translucency (NT) measurements in the first trimester screening between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation are regarded as a clear marker for aneuploidies. The presence of a thickened NT, even if the karyotype is normal, can be associated with structural abnormalities. Having an abnormal screening of NT, parents and physicians could face dilemma over abortion particularly in a case of IVF/ICSI f...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the performance and cost efficacy of different first-trimester contingent screening strategies based on an initial analysis of biochemical markers. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Swedish National Quality Register for prenatal diagnosis. POPULATION 35,780 women with singleton pregnancies. METHODS Serum values from first trimester biochemistry were re-analyzed i...

Sonographic assessment of nuchal translucency (NT) thickness has been recognized as an effective means of screening for trisomy 21 and other chromosomal abnormalities at 11–14 weeks of gestation. Up to 80% of aneuploid fetuses have increased NT, but this feature is also found in 5% of karyotypically normal fetuses at this stage of pregnancy (Snijders et al., 1998). As this screening test examin...

background: there is no published data on the association between serum biochemical and ultrasonographic markers and adverse pregnancy outcomes. therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with perinatal outcomes in singleton pregnancies using ultrasound and maternal serum markers during the first trimester in panamanians. materials and methods: this was a prospecti...

background: considering that establishment of reference value of nuchal translucency (nt)-related to the crown rump length (crl) during the first trimester will be helpful for determining an appropriate cutoff level for  screening of increased nt thickness-related abnormalities, we determined the nt thickness and investigated its relation with diff erent chromosomal and nonchromosomal abnormali...