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A case-control study involving 63 pregnancies showed that women who had previously had an infant with anencephaly or spina bifida did not have raised serum alpha-fetroprotein (AFP) levels in subsequent unaffected pregnancies. The value of a serum AFP determination in such women is discussed. If the serum AFP level is normal and if ultrasonography excludes anencephaly the risk of spina bifida might be low enough (about 1 per cent) to make diagnostic amniocentesis difficult to justify. Conversely, a high serum AFP value in such women should not be acted on without confirmation of an abnormality by ultrasonography and, if that is negative, by diagnostic amniocentesis.

Original publication

DOI

10.1111/j.1471-0528.1976.tb00811.x

Type

Journal article

Journal

Br J Obstet Gynaecol

Publication Date

03/1976

Volume

83

Pages

213 - 216

Keywords

Amniocentesis, Anencephaly, Female, Fetal Diseases, Fetal Proteins, Humans, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Trimester, First, Pregnancy Trimester, Second, Prenatal Diagnosis, Spinal Dysraphism, Ultrasonography, alpha-Fetoproteins