title: Unexplained, elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein suggesting blunt abdominal trauma in pregnancy. A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical findings of abdominal trauma in pregnancy are often minimal or absent in spite of the poor outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  A healthy, 28-year-old, Caucasian woman, gravida 3, para 2, underwent amniocentesis due to unexplained elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein. The fluid was dark brown, evidence of an old intrauterine hemorrhage. Two weeks prior to blood sampling the patient experienced blunt abdominal trauma. In the emergency room no abnormal signs were found on physical examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal trauma in pregnancy should be suspected in the case of elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein and dark brown amniotic fluid.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Center, Health Services, Clalit-Negev District, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Ayal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romem
authors.forename: Yitzhak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Romem
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins