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Maternal serum α‐fetoprotein and low birth weight in relation to gestational age
Author(s) -
WALD NICHOLAS J.,
CUCKLE HOWARD S.,
BOREHAMICRF JILLIAN,
STIRRAT GORDON M.,
TURNBULL A. C.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
bjog: an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.157
H-Index - 164
eISSN - 1471-0528
pISSN - 1470-0328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1982.tb03617.x
Subject(s) - singleton , birth weight , gestation , obstetrics , gestational age , low birth weight , medicine , pregnancy , biology , genetics
Summary. To determine when in the first and second trimester a raised serum α‐fetoprotein (AFP) level best predicts low birth weight a case‐control study was performed on 157 singleton low birth‐weight (2.5 kg) and 314 singleton control pregnancies (birth weight >2.5 kg). The association between raised maternal serum AFP and low birth weight was confirmed, but there was no special time in pregnancy before 29 weeks gestation when a raised AFP level predicted low birth weight materially better than at any other time.