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The aim of this study was to investigate the second trimester concentrations of maternal urine human chorionic gonadotrophin beta-core fragment (HCGbetacf) in Asian pregnanci2es with fetal chromosomal abnormalities. HCGbetacf concentrations were analysed from 34 urine samples in chromosomally abnormal pregnancies, including 28 cases of Down's syndrome, one case of trisomy 18, and five cases of other chromosomal abnormalities (one mosaic deletion and four translocations), and in a cohort of 268 normal pregnancies receiving second trimester amniocentesis. Results were normalized to urine creatinine (Cr) concentration and converted to the multiple of the median (MOM) concentration for the appropriate gestation. The median HCGbetacf MOM concentrations of Down's syndrome pregnancies (12.89) was significantly higher than that of normal pregnancies (1. 06) (P < 0.00001). Wide variations of HCGbetacf concentrations were observed in other chromosomally abnormal pregnancies. There were 18 of 28 (64%) Down's syndrome cases but one of five (20%) other chromosomally abnormal cases with HCGbetacf concentrations above the 95th centile of the control values (8.22 MOM cut-off). These findings suggest that HCGbetacf could be a potential marker in urine screening for fetal Down's syndrome in Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A special mental health clinic was set up in the gynecologic out-patient setting of a medical center. The present study examined the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients seen at the clinic and evaluated the need for mental health services in a gynecologic setting. Participants were 136 consecutive patients who visited the clinic during a 6 month period. Their ages ranged from 20 to 74 years, with a mean age of 41.5 +/- 12.3 years. Twenty-three percent of women were referred by gynecologists. All subjects were interviewed by experienced psychiatrists using the structured Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), supplemented by the DSM-IV criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and other diagnoses. The most common diagnosis was major depressive disorder (36.0%), followed by generalized anxiety disorder (29.4%), PMDD (16.2%), dysthymic disorder (14.7%) and others. Patients were categorized into four major diagnostic categories: depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, PMDD and others. No significant differences were found in years of education, employment status, living situations or referral pattern among the four major diagnostic groups. Most patients with anxiety disorders were married. Our results suggest that the gynecologic department may be a good setting to help women with mental disorders.