Background: Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is one of the cell adhesion molecules which is expressed in endothelial cells. In pregnancy, VCAM-1 is involved in placentation by promotion of angiogenesis and trophoblastic invasion. Placenta accreta (PA) is a term that refers to abnormal adherence of the placenta to the uterine myometrium. The incidence of PA rises as the number of elective cesarean sections and pregnancies with placenta previa increases.
Objectives: This study discusses the role of VCAM-1 in normal pregnancy, the pathogenesis of PA, and its predictive value for PA occurrence.
Methods: Our longitudinal study included 62 pregnant women. Then they were divided into Group N: 31 pregnant women with normal placenta and Group P: 31 pregnant women with placenta accreta.
Result: Serum VCAM-1 levels were higher in case of PA than those of normal pregnancy and it had a significant predictive value for PA with markedly high sensitivity and specificity.
Conclusion: Detection of a high serum level of VCAM-1 in the 2nd trimester can predict the occurrence of PA in healthy women. Moreover, placental VCAM-1 may be implicated in the pathogenesis of PA through enhancing trophoblastic invasion.