Background Biomarkers have been proposed for identification of women at increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia.Objectives To investigate the capacity of circulating placental growth factor (PlGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFLT1) and soluble endoglin (sENG) to predict pre-eclampsia.Search strategy Medline and Embase through October 2010 and reference lists of reviews, without constraints.Selection criteria We included original publications on testing of PlGF, VEGF, sFLT1 and sENG in serum or plasma of pregnant women at <30 weeks of gestation and before clinical onset of pre-eclampsia.Data collection and analysis Two reviewers independently identified eligible studies, extracted descriptive and test accuracy data and assessed methodological quality. Summary estimates of discriminatory performance were obtained. Main resultsWe included 34 studies. Concentrations of PlGF (27 studies) and VEGF (three studies) were lower in women who developed pre-eclampsia: standardised mean differences (SMD) )0.56 (95% CI )0.77 to )0.35) and )1.25 (95% CI )2.73 to 0.23). Concentrations of sFLT1 (19 studies) and sENG (ten studies) were higher: SMD 0.48 (95% CI 0.21-0.75) and SMD 0.54 (95% CI 0.24-0.84). The summary diagnostic odds ratios were: PlGF 9.0 (95% CI 5.6-14.5), sFLT1 6.6 (95% CI 3.1-13.7), sENG 4.2 (95% CI 2.4-7.2), which correspond to sensitivities of 32%, 26% and 18%, respectively, for a 5% falsepositive rate.Author's conclusions PlGF, sFLT1 and sENG showed modest but significantly different concentrations before 30 weeks of gestation in women who developed pre-eclampsia. Test accuracies of all four markers, however, are too poor for accurate prediction of pre-eclampsia in clinical practice.Keywords Biomarkers, placental growth factor, pre-eclampsia, soluble endoglin, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, vascular endothelial growth factor.Please cite this paper as: Kleinrouweler C, Wiegerinck M, Ris-Stalpers C, Bossuyt P, van der Post J, von Dadelszen P, Mol B, Pajkrt E, for the EBM CON-NECT Collaboration. Accuracy of circulating placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and soluble endoglin in the prediction of pre-eclampsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG 2012;119:778-787.

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ObjectiveTo compare intrapartum and neonatal mortality in low-risk term women starting labour in midwife-led versus obstetrician-led care.Study designWe performed a propensity score matched study using data from our national perinatal register, completed with data from medical files. We studied women without major risk factors with singleton pregnancies who gave birth at term between 2005 and 2008 in the Amsterdam region of the Netherlands. Major risk factors comprised non-vertex position of the fetus, previous Caesarean birth, hypertension, (gestational) diabetes mellitus, post-term pregnancy (≥42 weeks), prolonged rupture of membranes (>24 hours), vaginal bleeding in the second half of pregnancy or induced labour. Groups were devided by midwife-led versus obstetrician-led care at the onset of labour. The primary outcome was intrapartum and neonatal (<28 days) mortality. Secondary outcomes included obstetric interventions, 5 min Apgar scores<7 and neonatal intensive care admittance for >24 hours.ResultsWe studied 57 396 women. Perinatal mortality occurred in 30 of 46 764 (0.64‰) women in midwife-led care and in 2 of 10 632 (0.19‰) women in obstetrician-led care (OR 3.4, 95% CI 0.82 to 14.3). A propensity score matched analysis in a 1:1 ratio with 10 632 women per group revealed an OR for perinatal mortality of 4.0 (95% CI 0.85 to 18.9).ConclusionAmong low-risk women, midwife-led care at the onset of labour was associated with a statistically non-significant higher mortality rate.