[Serum Ca-125 levels in aneuploidy screening in first pregnancy trimester. Authors' experience]

The aims of the current study were to investigate the value of Ca-125 maternal serum levels at the first trimester of pregnancy in order to test heir usefulness for the screening of foetal aneuploidies.

The study was performed retrospectively on frozen maternal serum samples obtained in the antenatal clinics of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology: 85 control normally cycling women, 479 pregnant over 36 years from 8th to 12th week of pregnancy underwent the villocentesis, 383 pregnant women aged from 19 to 45 years underwent the "tritest" (AFP = alpha-fetoprotein, hCG = human chorionic gonadotropin, fE3 = free estriol, age) for the screening of the Down syndrome in the second trimester of pregnancy. All newborns have been tested by Apgar score. The immunoradiometric (IRMA) Ca-125 assay was performed without knowing the result of the cytogenetic test. Over all we have had 11 patients with aneuploidy, 7 Down, 3 Edwards and 1 Patau. The levels of Ca-125 are expressed as MoM multiple of median) in order to compare the levels at different gestational age.

We had no significant differences between normal and pathological pregnancies, therefore we don't reckon the Ca-125 assay useful in the screening of aneuploidies in the first trimester of pregnancy.