Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Second trimester serum markers.

Jacob A Canick1, Andrew R MacRae

  • 1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Women and Infants Hospital, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI 02905, USA. jcanick@wihri.org

Seminars in Perinatology
|August 18, 2005
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Analytical comparison of three different versions of a high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay over 10years.

Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry·2017
Same author

The impact of maternal plasma DNA fetal fraction on next generation sequencing tests for common fetal aneuploidies.

Prenatal diagnosis·2013
Same author

Noninvasive prenatal detection of sex chromosomal aneuploidies by sequencing circulating cell-free DNA from maternal plasma.

Prenatal diagnosis·2013
Same author

High-throughput massively parallel sequencing for fetal aneuploidy detection from maternal plasma.

PloS one·2013
Same author

Feasibility of using plasma rather than serum in first and second trimester multiple marker Down's syndrome screening.

Journal of medical screening·2013
Same author

Impact of adjusting for the reciprocal relationship between maternal weight and free thyroxine during early pregnancy.

Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association·2012
Same journal

Congenital cytomegalovirus: Screening strategies and diagnostic challenges.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
Same journal

The society for neonatal nutrition and lifelong health: Building science and translating research to inform neonatal nutritional care.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
Same journal

Enteral nutrition to optimize health and neurodevelopmental outcomes in very preterm infants.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
Same journal

Standardizing outcome measures in preterm infant nutrition research: Use of anthropometry and body composition in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
Same journal

A dilemma of parental inclusion? Parent perspectives of NICU feeding practices and neonatal nutritional research.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
Same journal

Maternal diet and nutritional status during pregnancy and lactation: a review of implications on milk composition and lactation outcomes.

Seminars in perinatology·2026
See all related articles

Second trimester prenatal screening for Down syndrome uses a quad marker test including AFP, uE3, hCG, and inhibin A. This method achieves an 80% detection rate for Down syndrome with a 5% false positive rate.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Prenatal Diagnostics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Second trimester prenatal screening for Down syndrome has been established for over 15 years.
  • The quad marker test, comprising alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), unconjugated estriol (uE3), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), and inhibin A, offers the highest screening performance.
  • Inhibin A, a placental hormone, is a key component in current second trimester screening protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and components of second trimester prenatal screening for Down syndrome.
  • To discuss the role of inhibin A and emerging markers like hyperglosylated hCG (h-hCG) in improving screening accuracy.
  • To emphasize the continued importance of second trimester screening, especially for women presenting later in pregnancy.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilizes maternal serum levels of AFP, uE3, hCG, and inhibin A.
  • Inhibin A is measured via a validated monoclonal two-site ELISA.
  • Investigates maternal urine and serum levels of h-hCG as a potential screening marker.

Main Results:

  • The quad marker combination achieves an 80% detection rate for Down syndrome at a 5% false positive rate.
  • Quality control for inhibin A measurements is acceptable and monitored.
  • Preliminary data suggest h-hCG measurement in maternal urine may enhance existing serum marker combinations.

Conclusions:

  • Second trimester prenatal screening with the quad marker test remains a vital tool in obstetrical care for Down syndrome detection.
  • Inhibin A measurement is reliable and well-controlled for prenatal screening.
  • Further research into markers like h-hCG may offer improved performance for Down syndrome screening.