Maternal Plasma Trace Elements Affect Fetal Nuchal

Objective Fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness is an important marker for prenatal screening; however, studies focusing on the correlation between maternal trace element levels and NT thickness are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate maternal trace element levels during the first trimester and to investigate the association between maternal trace element levels and fetal NT thickness. Methods In total, 113 samples were obtained from singleton pregnant women. Maternal plasma sam-ples were collected in the first trimester of gestation. Plasma trace element levels were mea-sured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nuchal translucency thickness was measured using ultrasonography at 10–14 weeks of gestation. Results We found that maternal plasma potassium (K) levels had a significant negative correlation with both NT (r =-0.230, p < 0.05) and NT Multiples of the Median (NT MoM) (r =-0.206, p &lt