Fetal gender and maternal serum screening markers

Santolaya-Forgas, Joaquín; Mahoney, Michael J.; Abdallah, M.; Duncan, Jose R.; Delgado, Alberto López; Stang, Perkin; Deleon, Juan; Castracane, V. Daniel

doi:10.1097/01.gim.0000241913.25761.d2

Cited by 1 publication

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“…For example, higher levels of two angiogenic factors involved in PE, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase protein 1 (sFlt1) and placental growth factor (PLGF), are observed in maternal serum in association with a female fetus [177]. In terms of serum proteins evaluated prenatally, hCG and AFP are among several that differ by sex: the presence of a female fetus is associated with higher average maternal serum chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) after the 3rd week of gestation [170,171], and lower average secondtrimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) [178][179][180]. Female-carrying pregnancies are also associated with higher levels of maternal serum cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) [181], which is used for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) of chromosomal abnormalities and fetal sex determination [181].…”

Section: Sex Differences In Diagnostic and Screening Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex Differences Are Here to Stay: Relevance to Prenatal Care

Inkster

Fernández-Boyano

Robinson

2021

JCM

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Sex differences exist in the incidence and presentation of many pregnancy complications, including but not limited to pregnancy loss, spontaneous preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction. Sex differences arise very early in development due to differential gene expression from the X and Y chromosomes, and later may also be influenced by the action of gonadal steroid hormones. Though offspring sex is not considered in most prenatal diagnostic or therapeutic strategies currently in use, it may be beneficial to consider sex differences and the associated mechanisms underlying pregnancy complications. This review will cover (i) the prevalence and presentation of sex differences that occur in perinatal complications, particularly with a focus on the placenta; (ii) possible mechanisms underlying the development of sex differences in placental function and pregnancy phenotypes; and (iii) knowledge gaps that should be addressed in the development of diagnostic or risk prediction tools for such complications, with an emphasis on those for which it would be important to consider sex.

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