MATERNAL SERUM ANALYTE LEVELS AFTER FIRST-TRIMESTER MULTIFETAL PREGNANCY REDUCTION

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to assess the effect of multifetal pregnanc y reduction on maternal serum levels of analytes used for screening lo w-risk women for fetal chromosome abnormalities and neural tube defect s. STUDY DESIGN: Peripheral blood samples were obtained between 15.0 a nd 20.9 weeks' gestation from 10 consecutive women who had undergone f irst-trimester multifetal pregnancy reduction. The samples were assaye d for levels of alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and u nconjugated estriol. Analyte concentrations were interpreted within ou r maternal serum screening program. RESULTS: Levels of alpha-fetoprote in were significantly elevated in all samples. In each pregnancy level s of human chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated estriol were consis tent with the number of continuing gestations. CONCLUSIONS: First-trim ester multifetal reduction does not alter second-trimester levels of h uman chorionic gonadotropin and unconjugated estriol. Further study is needed to determine whether these analytes could be used to screen pr egnancies for fetal chromosome abnormalities after first-trimester mul tifetal reduction.