Association between unaccountably high maternal alpha feto-protein and increased fetal risk.
An unaccountably high maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level at 16-18 weeks of pregnancy is associated with increased risk to the fetus in a continuing pregnancy. Thirty-one pregnancies with confirmed high levels at 16-18 weeks produced 10 preterm live and 8 liveborn small-for-date babies and 3 early neonatal deaths. Although the incidence of neural tube defects is decreasing, routine assay of maternal serum AFP at 16- 18 weeks should be continued to give possible warning of extra risk to the fetus.
MwambinguFT
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000097:blood; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins