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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
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Published on: August 2, 2017
First-trimester placental growth factor as a marker for hypertensive disorders and SGA
N J Cowans1, A Stamatopoulou, E Matwejew
1Prenatal Research Unit, Clinical Biochemistry Department, King George Hospital, Goodmayes IG3 8YB, UK.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to examine first-trimester maternal serum placental growth factor (PlGF) levels in pregnancies which later develop hypertensive and growth complications.
Methods:
In this case-control study, PlGF levels were measured by AutoDELFIA immunoassay platform. There were 47 cases of at least one of the following adverse outcomes: pre-eclampsia (PE), small for gestational age (SGA), haemolysis elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) and gestational hypertension (GH) and 452 matched controls.
Results:
PlGF levels were significantly lower in cases of all PE, early PE, HELLP, all SGA, early SGA and SGA without PE, but not in GH, late PE, late SGA, PE with SGA or PE without SGA or HELLP.
Conclusion:
Low levels of first-trimester PlGF provide a good indicator of SGA complications and some hypertensive disorders, in particular severe cases of PE such as early onset and HELLP syndrome.
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