Low VEGF expression in conceptus material and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG levels as indicators of defective angiogenesis in first-trimester miscarriages Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss. Material and Methods:The present study was a prospective, singlecenter, randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between May and June 2010 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., incomplete abortion (IA) (n=31), intrauterine death (IU-D) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). Feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for VEGF in the pathology laboratory, and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory.Results: Serum β-hCG levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). The serum AFP level was lower than the controls in the IA group while it was higher than the controls in the IU-D (p=0.016). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for VEGF in the patient groups (IA and IU-D) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06, p=0.028, p=0.006). Conclusion:Early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis, and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester.(J Turkish-German Gynecol Assoc 2012; 13: 111-7) Abstract ÖzetOriginal Investigation 111

Objective: Our aim in this study is to determine the possibility that patients with IUGR (intrauterine growth retardation) will be able to look at the adenonetin levels in the early stages of pregnancy and to have IUGR. In this respect, early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up are aimed to reduce morbidity and mortality due to IUGR Material Method: The study was carried out between January and March 2010. Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital 28-40. with 89 patients aged 18-40 years. Groups 44 IUGR patients and 45 normal pregnant patients were divided into two groups. To examine the serum adiponectin level, an average of 3 cc was taken in the gel biochemistry tubes and then centrifuged at 4000 × 10 minutes. The resulting serum samples were collected for the ELISA kit and kept at-80 • C until the day the patients were collected. In the study, adiponectin levels were measured by serum ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) method. Results: In adiponectin evaluation, mean value was 105.90 ± 19.02 pg / ml for the IUGR group, 65.96 ± 16.5 pg / ml for the control group and 1.6 times higher for the IUGR group(p < 0.001) Conclusion: In this study, the increased adiponectin levels of IUGR patients were significantly higher than those of IUGR patients, suggesting that pregnancies of IUGR patients can be measured high in the first weeks and if IUGR is high in those weeks, IUGR can be predicted.