First-Trimester Maternal Serum a Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 12 (ADAM12) and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To examine the possible association of maternal serum a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM12) in the first trimester of pregnancy and subsequent development of preeclampsia, delivery of small for gestational age (SGA) neonates, and spontaneous preterm delivery. METHODS: The maternal serum concentration of ADAM12 at 11 0/7 to 13 6/7 weeks was measured in 128 cases of preeclampsia, 88 cases of gestational hypertension, 296 cases with SGA neonates, 58 cases of spontaneous preterm delivery, and 570 controls. Regression analysis was used to determine which of the maternal factors and fetal crown rump length were significant predictors of ADAM12 in the control group, and from the regression model the value in each case and control was expressed as a multiple of median (MoM). The levels of ADAM12 MoM were compared in cases and controls. RESULTS: In the control group the concentration of ADAM12 increased with fetal crown rump length, decreased with maternal weight and was higher in African-American than in white women. There was a significant association between ADAM12 and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (r=0.417, P<.001) and between each metabolite and birth weight percentile (r=0.176, P<.001 and r=0.109, P=.009). In the SGA group, the median ADAM12 concentration (0.848 MoM) was lower (P<.001), but in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (0.954 MoM), gestational hypertension (1.013 MoM), and spontaneous preterm delivery (1.048 MoM) the levels were not significantly different from controls (1.011 MoM). CONCLUSION: There is a good correlation between the maternal serum ADAM12 and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A concentration. Measurement of ADAM12 does not provide useful prediction of SGA, preeclampsia, or spontaneous preterm delivery.