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The association between alpha‐fetoprotein and βhcg levels prior to and following chorionic villus sampling in cases that spontaneously miscarried
Author(s) -
Barkai G.,
Reichman B.,
Ries L.,
Lusky A.,
Lipitz S.,
Goldman B.
Publication year - 1994
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.1970140905
Subject(s) - miscarriage , chorionic villus sampling , medicine , alpha fetoprotein , chorionic villi , human chorionic gonadotropin , pregnancy , gynecology , confidence interval , obstetrics , fetus , prenatal diagnosis , endocrinology , hormone , biology , genetics , hepatocellular carcinoma
Maternal serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) and beta‐human chorionic gonadotropin (βhCG) measurements taken prior to chorionic villus sampling (CVS) in 21 patients who subsequently miscarried were compared with measurements in a control group of 113 patients with uneventful pregnancies. Patients with AFP levels of 10 iu/ml or more prior to the CVS had a 4·3 times greater risk of miscarriage (95 per cent confidence interval 1·3–13·6). AFP levels obtained 1 week after the CVS in the 13 patients with late miscarriages were higher than in the control group ( P = 0·06). Patients miscarrying had a greater rise in AFP ( P = 0·06) and a greater fall in βhCG levels ( P = 0·04) following the CVS procedure, compared with the control subjects. Each 10‐unit change in the difference between AFP or βhCG levels prior to and 1 week following the CVS was associated with a significantly increased risk for late miscarriage. Elevated maternal serum AFP levels early in pregnancy and changes in AFP and βhCG levels following CVS may predict an increased risk for subsequent miscarriage.