First trimester levels of inhibins and activin A in normal and failing pregnancies

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Miscarriage is the commonest complication of human pregnancy. We undertook this study to assess whether inhibin A, pro-αC inhibin and/or activin A, products of the corpus luteum and placenta, might be useful in either the prediction or diagnosis of miscarriage. DESIGN: Case-control study. PATIENTS: Ninety-eight asymptomatic women at 6-13 weeks gestation who subsequently had a miscarriage and 198 gestation-matched women with a normal singleton pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS: Maternal serum levels of inhibin A, pro-αC inhibin, activin A and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) were measured. RESULTS: Inhibin A, pro-αC and hCG, expressed as multiples of the normal median (MoM; ±95% confidenc..