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Prenatal diagnosis of neural tube by measurement of serum alpha‐fetoprotein defects in havana city
Author(s) -
Rodriguez P. L.,
Heredero B.,
Oliva R. J.,
Zaldivar G. O.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970070908
Subject(s) - neural tube , prenatal diagnosis , medicine , fetus , pregnancy , obstetrics , amniotic fluid , prenatal screening , alpha fetoprotein , neural tube defect , ultrasonography , gynecology , surgery , embryo , biology , genetics , hepatocellular carcinoma , microbiology and biotechnology
Prenatal screening was carried out in Havana City, Cuba, as part of a National Medical Genetics Programme, in order to detect elevated alpha‐fetoprotein concentration in maternal serum (MS‐AFP). A total of 97 900 pregnant women between 15 and 19 weeks of pregnancy were tested from 1982 to 1985. A double‐antibody‐sandwich technique was used. 173 malformed fetuses were detected. Confirmation was by ultrasonography, elevated AFP values in a second serum sample and in amniotic fluid and acetylcholinesterase. No termination of a normal pregnancy occurred. The screening of all pregnancies is easy, economical and useful for detecting not only fetuses suffering from open Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) and other severe disorders but also pregnancies at risk of further complications.