Increased level of second trimester maternal serum chorionic gonadotropin in pregnancy with a fetus affected by homozygous alpha-thalassemia 1

L H Tseng; H L Hwa; S M Chuang; T Y Lee; T M Ko

doi:10.1007/BF02390937

Increased level of second trimester maternal serum chorionic gonadotropin in pregnancy with a fetus affected by homozygous alpha-thalassemia 1

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 1994;255(3):113-7. doi: 10.1007/BF02390937.

Authors

L H Tseng¹, H L Hwa, S M Chuang, T Y Lee, T M Ko

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medical Genetics, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Republic of China.

PMID: 7979563
DOI: 10.1007/BF02390937

Abstract

With enzyme immunoassay, maternal serum chorionic gonadotropin (MShCG) level was determined in 58 pregnancies affected with fetal homozygous alpha-thalassemia 1. In 40 pregnancies with a gestational age of 10 to 14 weeks, 8 (20%) had an MShCG level above 2.5 multiples of the median (MoM); while in the other 18 pregnancies with a gestational age of 15 to 23 weeks, 14 (78%) had a level above 2.5 MoMs and none had a level below the median. Homozygous alpha-thalassemia 1 of the fetus was associated with an elevated MShCG. Therefore in second-trimester screening for Down's syndrome by measurement of MShCG, homozygous alpha-thalassemia 1 should also be considered if elevated MShCG levels are found.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Chorionic Gonadotropin / blood*
Female
Genetic Testing
Homozygote
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, Second
Prenatal Diagnosis*
Risk Factors
alpha-Thalassemia / blood
alpha-Thalassemia / diagnosis
alpha-Thalassemia / genetics*

Substances

Chorionic Gonadotropin