title: Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein is not a useful biological marker of pregnancy outcome.
abstract: The aim of our study was to determine if the amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level could be a useful predictive biochemical marker of pregnancy outcome. Amniotic fluid AFP measurement was prospectively carried out over a three-year period. After excluding factors susceptible to modifying AFP measurements, 587 subjects with gestational age between 14 and 20 weeks were selected to compare the amniotic fluid AFP mean levels depending on the occurrence of an adverse outcome. No significant associations between amniotic fluid AFP level and poor pregnancy outcome, i.e. pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery, premature rupture of fetal membranes, fetal growth retardation and placental abnormalities were observed. The routine measurement of amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein during an amniocentesis procedure was not considered useful in predicting pregnancy complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rouen University Hospital, Rouen, France. verspyck@chu-rouen.fr
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Verspyck
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Degré
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hellot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Descargues
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Philippe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Labadie
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bénichou
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marpeau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000592:standards*; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins