title: The relationship of ceruloplasmin and neural tube defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the levels of ceruloplasmin (cp) in the amniotic fluids and maternal bloods of second trimester fetuses with and without neural tube defects (NTD).
  
  
  METHODS
  66 pregnant women were included in the study. Amniocentesis was performed in 32 women in a patient group diagnosed as NTD or anencephaly and 34 pregnants in a control group with positive Down Syndrome screening test. Maternal bloods were also taken. Cp was measured with Erel's ceruloplasmin measurement method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cp levels of the amniotic fluid of patients and controls were not statistically different (p>0.05). The cp levels of the maternal bloods were not different in two groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As an antioxidant, no relation was found between cp and NTD.
authors.affiliation: Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine Obstetric and Gyneacology Department Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cağlar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yazıcıoğlu
authors.affiliation: Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine Obstetric and Gyneacology Department Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatma Bahar
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Cebesoy
authors.affiliation: Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine Obstetric and Gyneacology Department Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balat
authors.affiliation: Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine Obstetric and Gyneacology Department Gaziantep, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dikensoy
authors.affiliation: Harran University Faculty of Medicine Department of Biochemistry Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Harran University Faculty of Medicine Department of Biochemistry Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozcan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erel
keywords: Antioxidant; Ceruloplasmin; Neural tube defect