Midtrimester amniotic fluid concentrations of angiogenic factors in relation to maternal, gestational and neonatal characteristics in normal pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To describe associations among maternal/gestational/neonatal characteristics and midpregnancy amniotic fluid concentrations of the main angiogenic markers vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PlGF).

METHODS: In a cohort of 206 normal full-term pregnancies, midpregnancy amniotic fluid VEGF and PlGF reference values were recorded. Possible associations among the above concentrations and various parameters, such as maternal age and body mass index, race, parity, smoking, gestational age, delivery mode, birth-weight and fetal gender were investigated.

RESULTS: Midpregnancy amniotic fluid concentrations of both VEGF and PlGF increased with increasing gestational age (r = 0.173, p = 0.013 and r = 0.255, p < 0.001, respectively), whereas PlGF concentrations positively correlated with birth-weight (r = 0.154, p = 0.027). The effect of the other above-mentioned parameters on VEGF and PlGF concentrations was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS: In normal pregnancies, midgestation amniotic fluid VEGF and PlGF concentrations positively correlate with gestational age. Furthermore, midgestation amniotic fluid PlGF concentrations may be a predictor of neonatal birth weight.