title: Elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein with oligohydramnios: ultrasound evaluation and outcome.
abstract: Nineteen pregnancies evaluated for elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were found to have moderate to severe oligohydramnios. There were no survivors among six fetuses with ultrasound-diagnosed urinary tract anomalies. We followed 11 of the remaining 13 pregnancies with serial ultrasound examinations. When the second ultrasound examination demonstrated severely decreased amniotic fluid, the outcome was always poor (intrauterine death, perinatal death, or fetal deformations). Of the five cases in which the second ultrasound showed normal to moderately decreased fluid, there were four surviving infants. When no primary malformations are seen on the initial ultrasound examination, serial ultrasound evaluations of amniotic fluid volume help predict the pregnancy outcome.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors: D S
authors: DS
authors: Richards
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: Seeds
authors: V L
authors: VL
authors: Katz
authors: L H
authors: LH
authors: Lingley
authors: S G
authors: SG
authors: Albright
authors: R C
authors: RC
authors: Cefalo
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000002:abnormalities; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000097:blood*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014524:Urethral Obstruction / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins