Quantifying mRNA coding growth genes in the maternal circulation to detect fetal growth restriction

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether mRNA circulating in maternal blood coding genes regulating fetal growth are differentially expressed in (1) severe preterm fetal growth restriction (FGR) and (2) at 28 weeks' gestation in pregnancies destined to develop FGR at term. STUDY DESIGN: mRNA coding growth genes were measured in 2 independent cohorts. The first was women diagnosed with severe preterm FGR (<34 weeks' gestation; n = 20) and gestation matched controls (n = 15), where the mRNA was measured in both maternal blood and placenta. The second cohort was a prospective longitudinal study (n = 52) of women whom had serial ultrasound assessments of fetal growth. mRNA coding growth genes in maternal b..