[Significance of pathological alpha-1-fetoprotein levels in the framework of prenatal diagnosis]

Z Geburtshilfe Perinatol. 1992 Jan-Feb;196(1):7-10.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Merkatz (1984) showed that in 68% of live birth with Down Syndrome maternal age was 34 years or less. It would be desirable to define a high risk collective of women younger then 35 years with the help of a screening test, which could further on lead to a prenatal diagnostics. Several studies showed that low maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels (SAFP) in pregnancy is associated with fetal chromosomal abnormalities. The results of a retrospective study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Mainz showed that maternal SAFP-level does not accomplish the demand of a prenatal screening test, because only 17% of the Down Syndrome could be diagnosed by this parameter. In case of trisomy 13 and 18 SAFP-concentrations were normal or even increased, maybe on account of the combination with other malformations like neural-tube or abdominal-wall defects.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amniocentesis
  • Chromosome Aberrations / blood
  • Chromosome Disorders
  • Down Syndrome / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second
  • Prenatal Diagnosis*
  • Reference Values
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Trisomy
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / analysis*

Substances

  • alpha-Fetoproteins