Medically assisted reproduction and second-trimester maternal serum marker screening for Down syndrome

Objectives To evaluate the effect of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) on total hCG, free ß‐hCG, AFP and unconjugated estriol (uE3) used as markers for second‐trimester Down syndrome maternal serum screening. Methods Second‐trimester maternal sera from 1515 singleton pregnancies (970 by IVF, 545 by ICSI) were compared with control sera (21 014 cases). Free ß‐hCG, total hCG, AFP and uE3 were compared between the control group and the medically assisted reproduction groups. The percentages of at‐risk patients (≥1/250) were also compared. Results No differences in values of the maternal serum markers were observed between the medically assisted and control groups. When maternal age was taken into account, the screen‐positive rate for Down syndrome screening did not differ between the two groups. Conclusion Patients undergoing assisted reproduction techniques can be counseled for maternal serum Down syndrome screening with the same efficacy as patients with naturally conceived pregnancies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.