Low VEGF expression in conceptus material and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG levels as indicators of defective angiogenesis in first-trimester miscarriages [İlk trimester gebelik kayi{dotless}plari{dotless}nda,yetersiz anjiogenez'in göstergesi olarak konseptus materyalinde düşük VEGF ekspresyonu ve maternal serum AFP ve β-hCG düzeyleri]

Objective: the aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (vegf) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (afp) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hcg) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss. material and methods: the present study was a prospective,singlecenter,randomized controlled clinical trial. ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between may and june 2010 were included in the study. the subjects were divided into three groups,i.e.,incomplete abortion (ia) (n=31),intrauterine death (iu-d) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for vegf in the pathology laboratory,and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory. results: serum β-hcg levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). the serum afp level was lower than the controls in the ia group while it was higher than the controls in the iu-d (p=0.016). immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast,syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for vegf in the patient groups (ia and iu-d) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06,p=0.028,p=0.006). conclusion: early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis,and maternal serum afp and β-hcg can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester. © 2012 by the turkish-german gynecological education and research foundation.