title: Elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein values. How low is high?
abstract: Most maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) screening programs are set up with the goal of prenatal detection of fetal neural tube defects. It is also commonly accepted that MSAFP testing yields many false-positive results. Screening programs commonly utilize schemata that identify abnormal levels of MSAFP as greater than 2.5 multiples of the median (MOM) and also recommend two abnormal values before initiating ultrasound evaluation. Our pilot program evaluating obstetric outcomes found that 21 of the 29 women with elevated MSAFP values (greater than 2.0 MOM) eventually developed significant pregnancy management changes or complications of pregnancy. Thus, we believe that the use of MSAFP screening solely for the purpose of detecting fetal neural tube defects is inconsequential relative to its usefulness in detecting other pregnancy abnormalities. We also believe that ultrasound evaluation should be accomplished after the first abnormal value and that the cutoff of 2.5 MOM should be lowered to at least 2.0.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo.
authors: R R
authors: RR
authors: Lenke
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Guerrieri
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Nemes
authors: T W
authors: TW
authors: Kurczynski
authors: B
authors: B
authors: French
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Gray
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Schut
authors: E R
authors: ER
authors: Ashwood
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins