Down syndrome serum screening also identifies an increased risk for multicystic dysplastic kidney, two-vessel cord, and hydrocele.

Objective: The FASTER trial compared first and second trimester screening methods for aneuploidy. We examined relationships between maternal serum markers and common congenital anomalies in the pediatric outcome data set of 36 837 subjects.
Methods: We used nested case-control studies, with cases defined by the most common anomalies in our follow-up database, and up to four controls matched by enrollment site, maternal age and race, enrollment gestational age, and infant gender. Serum markers were dichotomized to > or = 2 or < 0.5 multiples of the median (MoM). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated.
Results: Statistically significant (p < 0.05) associations were found between inhibin A > or = 2 MoM with fetal multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) (OR = 27.5, 95% CI: 2.8-267.7) and two-vessel cord (OR = 4.22, 95% CI:1.6-10.9); hCG of > or = 2 MoM with MCDK (OR = 19.56, 95% CI: 1.9-196.2) and hydrocele (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 1.3-4.6); and PAPP-A > or = 2.0 MoM with hydrocele (OR = 1.88, 95% CI:1.1-3.3).
Conclusion: In this large prospective study, significant associations were found between several maternal serum markers and congenital anomalies. This suggests potential additional benefits to screening programs that are primarily designed to detect aneuploidy.