SERUM VEGF-A AND IL-17A AS BIOMARKERS FOR EARLY PREGNANCY LOSS RISK ASSESSMENT

Abstract

Early pregnancy loss remains one of the leading complications of first-trimester gestation, affecting approximately 10–18% of clinically recognized pregnancies. Emerging evidence suggests that dysregulation of angiogenic and inflammatory pathways contributes significantly to impaired placentation and embryonic demise. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of serum VEGF-A and IL-17A levels, as well as their ratio, in women with threatened miscarriage and early spontaneous abortion. A prospective analysis was conducted among 96 pregnant women at 6–11 weeks of gestation. Serum cytokine levels were measured using multiplex immunoassay, and hormonal markers were assessed via ELISA. Women who experienced spontaneous abortion demonstrated significantly elevated VEGF-A levels and reduced IL-17A concentrations compared to those with preserved pregnancies. The VEGF-A/IL-17A ratio was strongly associated with decreased progesterone levels and increased miscarriage risk (OR=2.3, 95% CI 1.5–3.4). Multivariate modeling demonstrated high predictive performance (AUC=0.87). These findings suggest that angiogenic–immunological imbalance may serve as a potential biomarker system for early pregnancy loss risk assessment.