Angiogenic Factors in Fetal Growth Assessment
Summary
Angiogenic factors regulate vascular development within the placenta and are fundamental to ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to the growing foetus. Dysregulation of key modulators such as placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) has been implicated in a spectrum of complications characterised by foetal growth restriction, including small-for-gestational-age outcomes and pre-eclampsia. Quantitative assessment of these biomarkers at strategic points in gestation offers potential for early identification of at-risk pregnancies, enabling tailored surveillance and timely intervention. Advances in high-throughput immunoassays, coupled with Doppler ultrasound metrics, have refined risk stratification, while integrated models incorporating protein ratios and clinical parameters are enhancing predictive accuracy. The global burden of adverse perinatal outcomes has driven multidisciplinary efforts to validate angiogenic markers across diverse populations, emphasising the promise of blood-based screening to inform personalised antenatal care and resource allocation in both low- and high-income settings.
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Angiogenic Factors in Fetal Growth Assessment publication trend
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Technical terms
Angiogenic factors: Molecules that regulate blood vessel formation in the placenta.
Placental growth factor (PlGF): A pro-angiogenic protein essential for placental vascular development.
Soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1): An anti-angiogenic receptor fragment that binds and inhibits PlGF and vascular endothelial growth factor.
sFlt-1/PlGF ratio: A combined biomarker reflecting the balance between anti- and pro-angiogenic signals.
Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A): A metalloproteinase involved in insulin-like growth factor regulation, used as an early marker of placental function.
Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR): A pathological condition in which foetal growth is impaired due to placental dysfunction.
Uterine artery pulsatility index (PI): A Doppler ultrasound metric indicating resistance to blood flow in the uterine arteries.
References
- Assessing the sensitivity of placental growth factor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 at 36 weeks’ gestation to predict small-for-gestational-age infants or late-onset preeclampsia: a prospective nested case-control study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (2018).
- Prediction of the development of fetal growth retardation in pregnant women with chronic arterial hypertension. Reproductive health of woman (2022).
- Comparison of Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A Levels in Women with and Without Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Cancer Research (2024).
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