Are nuchal translucency, pregnancy associated plasma protein-A or free-beta-human chorionic gonadotropin depending on maternal age?
Schmidt P; Pruggmayer M; Steinborn A; Schippert C; Staboulidou I; Hillemanns P; Scharf A University Women’s Hospital, Hannover, Germany. info@dr-schmidt.info INTRODUCTION: First-trimester screening according to Nicolaides uses maternal age to obtain a common background risk for trisomy 21. The likelihood ratios by nuchal translucency, free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A are not with respect to maternal age. It was the aim of this study to investigate if likelihood ratios should better take care of it. MATERIALS: Pearson’s correlation and different models of regression analysis had been performed on the results of 8,116 first-trimester screenings. The total number of pregnancies was subdivided into three subgroups of healthy fetuses (n = 8,038); fetuses with Down’s syndrome (n = 46) and fetuses with other genetic abnormalities (n = 32). Statistical testing was applied to each of the three groups. RESULTS: Strong independence from maternal age
