Skip to main content

Umbilical Vein and Maternal Serum Inhibin A, Activin A, and Follistatin Concentrations in IUGR due to Placental Dysfunction Pregnancies

The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology of India volume 63, pages 26–31 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

The objective of this study were to (1) quantify the concentrations of inhibin A, activin A, and follistatin in maternal serum and umbilical vein (inhibin A, activin A) in IUGR due to placental dysfunction pregnancies and control group, (2) determine the concentration differences of these factors in maternal and umbilical vein serum in control and subject group, and (3) examine the relationship between fetal growth and placental function.

Method

Sandwich ELISA was used to measure the concentrations in control (n = 40) and subject groups (n = 30).

Results

Umbilical vein serum inhibin A, activin A concentrations were increased in subject group compared with controls (inhibin A regression coefficient, 0.7647, P < 0.001, activin A P < 0.0005). Maternal serum inhibin A, activin A were significantly increased in subject group compared with controls (inhibin A regression coefficient, 0.7614, P < 0.001, activin A P < 0.0005). Maternal serum activin: follistatin ratio was significantly increased in subject group compared with controls (P < 0.0005). Maternal serum inhibin A, activin A concentrations were more when compared to the umbilical vein inhibin A, activin A concentrations in subject group.

Conclusion

The present study strengthens the evidence of using inhibin A, activin A, and follistatin as serum markers in routine screening for early detection of IUGR. But large prospective studies are needed to further define their role in clinical practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  1. Magnus, P, Bakketeig LS, Hoffman H. Birth weight of relatives by maternal tendency to repeat small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births in successive pregnancies. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand Suppl. 1997;165:35–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lim KH, Zhou Y, Janatpour M, McMaster M, Bass K, Chun SH, et al. Human cytotrophoblast differentiation/invasion is abnormal in preeclampsia. Am J Pathol. 1997;151(6):1809–18.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Tjoa ML, Oudejans CB, van Vugt JM, Blankenstein MA, van Wijk IJ. Markers for presymptomatic prediction of preeclampsia and intra uterine growth restriction. Hypertens Pregnancy. 2004;23(2):171–89.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Seyam YS, AI-Mahmeid MS, AI-Tamimi HK. Umbilical artery Doppler flow velocimetry in intrauterine growth restriction and its relation to perinatal outcome. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2002;77(2):131–7.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Malhotra N, Chanana C, Kumar S, et al. Comparison of perinatal outcome of growth restricted fetuses with normal and abnormal umbilical artery Doppler waveforms. Indian J Med Sic. 2006;60(8):311–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Florio P, Cobellis L, Luisi S, et al. Changes in inhibins and activin secretion in healthy and pathological pregnancies. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2001;180(1–2):123–30.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Wallace EM, Riley SC, Crossley JA, et al. Dimeric inhibins in amniotic fluid, maternal serum, and fetal serum in human pregnancy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1997;82(1):218–22.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Fowler PA, Evans LW, Groome NP, Templeton A, Knight PG. A longitudinal study of maternal serum inhibin-A, inhibin-B, activin-A, activin-AB, pro-alphaC and follistatin during pregnancy. Hum Reprod. 1998;13(12):3530–6.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. O’Connor AE, McFarlane JR, Hayward S, Yohkaichiya T, Groome NP, de Kretser DM. Serum activin A and follistatin concentrations during human pregnancy: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. Hum Reprod. 1999;14(3):827–32.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. D’Antona D, Reis FM, Benedetto C, et al. Increased maternal serum activin A but not follistatin levels in pregnant women with hypertensive disorders. J Endocrinol. 2000;165(1):157–62.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Evans LW, Muttukrishna S, Groome NP. Development, validation and application of an ultra-sensitive two-site enzyme immunoassay for human follistatin. J Endocrinol. 1998;156(2):275–82.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Silver HM, Lambert-Messerlian GM, Star JA, et al. Comparison of maternal serum total activin A and inhibin A in normal, preeclamptic, and nonproteinuric gestationally hypertensive pregnancies. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1999;180(5):1131–7.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Aquilina J, Barnett A, Thompson O, et al. Second-trimester maternal serum inhibin A concentration as an early marker for preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1999;181(1):131–6.

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Resident, Head of the Department & Professor, Resident, Resident of Radiology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China

    Sravanthi Kasam, Zongji Shen, Hui Cao & Madisetty Venkat Sudeep

Authors
  1. Sravanthi Kasam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Zongji Shen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hui Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Madisetty Venkat Sudeep
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sravanthi Kasam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kasam, S., Shen, Z., Cao, H. et al. Umbilical Vein and Maternal Serum Inhibin A, Activin A, and Follistatin Concentrations in IUGR due to Placental Dysfunction Pregnancies. J Obstet Gynecol India 63, 26–31 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-012-0190-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-012-0190-4

Keywords

  • Inhibin A
  • Activin A
  • Follistatin
  • IUGR
  • Umbililical vein serum
  • Maternal serum