Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

Ortho-clinical Diagnostics, Inc

Clinical Diagnostic Systems, Inc.

Christopher John Davies

Andrew Jonathan Beard

Adrian Charles Dawkes

Dimeric inhibin concentration can be used in the determination of the risk of a women carrying an unborn child affected by chromosomal abnormalities, e.g. Downs Syndrome. A method for antenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities is carried out by measuring body fluid taken from a pregnant woman for the level of at least one marker or precursor or metabolite of the marker together with the gestational age of the woman are compared with reference values taken from women carrying fetuses with chromosomal abnormalities and/or women carrying normal fetuses, using dimeric inhibin as a marker. A second marker is the free beta subunit of human chorion gonadotropin. An apparatus for carrying out the method described comprises a computer with a means for comparing the values described.

Antenatal risk assessment screening for pregnancy abnormalities

A method for antenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities in which maternal blood from a pregnant woman is measured for levels of free beta hCG and at least a second serum marker and/or precursors and metabolites of these markers and the measured levels of these markers together with the gestational age of the pregnant woman are compared to reference values at various gestational ages of the levels for free beta hCG and the second serum marker in (a) pregnant women carrying foetuses having the abnormalitie(s) subject to the screen and (b) pregnant women carrying normal foetuses, the comparison being indicative of the risk of the pregnant woman carrying a foetus with an abnormality subject to the screen characterised in that the second serum marker is pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPPA) and the screen is carried out by the end of the thirteenth (13th) completed week of pregnancy.

Antenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities

There is disclosed a method for antenatal screening for an abnormality in a fetus using a bodily fluid, the fluid containing a marker which at one stage of gestation (stage A) the mean or median level) of the marker differs by less than 20% between pregnancies which are affected and unaffected by the abnormality and at another stage of gestation (stage B) differs by more than 50% between such affected and unaffected pregnancies, there being a period of at least 3 weeks between Stage A and Stage B and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Prenatal screening for fetal abnormalities

The present invention provides a more accurate risk assessment of antenatal screening results because the maternal age of the patient is considered in evaluating the results from various common screening markers, and especially the results from UE determinations.

Method and apparatus for antenatal risk assessment for chromosomal

A method for antenatal screening for chromosomal and other abnormalities in an unborn child is determined by measuring the gestational age discrepancy of the pregnant mother. This data is determined (a) by reference to the last menstrual period, and (b) a biometric measurement of the fetus. The difference between the ages as determined using (a) and (b) is calculated. This calculated difference is then examined using reference data to determine fetal abnormalities. These data can also be used with assay of maternal fluids for various pregnancy markers.

Method for antenatal risk assessment for fetal abnormalities using

An apparatus capable of receiving measurements relating to a fetus carried by a pregnant woman and computer means for comparing these measurements to reference data to determine fetal abnormalities. The measurements relate to the difference between the gestational age of the woman, as determined by reference to the menstrual period, and biometric measurement of the fetus. The apparatus can be used for antenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities.

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Caerphilly, United Kingdom

Christopher John Davies