Exogenous progesterone increases nuchal translucency

(HealthDay)—Exogenous progesterone seems to increase nuchal translucency (NT), according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Noting that progesterone could lead to abnormal blood flow patterns and subsequently to increased NT, Claudio Giorlandino, M.D., from the Campus Bio Medico University of Rome, and colleagues examined the effects of endogenous progesterone on NT thickness. Data were included for 3,716 women who came to measure NT between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation, who were classified into two groups: women receiving exogenous progesterone and controls. Three NT scans were performed for each case.

In a crude analysis, the researchers found that NT increased in the exogenous progesterone group (P < 0.05). In the group at low risk for fetal aneuploidies, the same results were obtained (P < 0.05). Correlations between altered NT and gestational age (P < 0.0001) and progesterone exposure (P < 0.05) were confirmed in a factorial analysis of variance model. No significant differences were seen in subgroup analysis of the characteristics of treatment (route, formulation, and dose).

"We demonstrate that exogenous progesterone significantly increases NT thickness when compared with controls," the authors write.

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