title: Ultrasonic evaluation of twin pregnancies associated with raised serum alpha-fetoprotein levels.
abstract: Five cases of twin pregnancy associated with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels are presented. In each instance an abnormality was detected by ultrasound examination--in four cases this represented anomalous development of one or both fetuses: discordant anencephaly; a monozygotic heterokaryotypic twin pregnancy with coexistent Turner's syndrome and intrauterine death; concordant body-stalk syndrome; and fetal exomphalos together with an acardiac monster. In the remaining case, there had been an intrauterine death of one of the twins. Ultrasound examination proved valuable in all instances; three pregnancies were terminated and single healthy infants were delivered from each of the other two pregnancies.
mesh_terms: D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014427:Twins; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins