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Alphafetoprotein by Radioimmunoassay in Maternal Serum and Amniotic Fluid
Author(s) -
Khoo S. K.,
Tillack Sandra,
Mackay E. V.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.734
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1479-828X
pISSN - 0004-8666
DOI - 10.1111/j.1479-828x.1976.tb02577.x
Subject(s) - amniotic fluid , radioimmunoassay , gestation , fetus , pregnancy , endocrinology , andrology , medicine , chemistry , biology , genetics
Summary: The use of a competitive inhibition radioimmunoassay allows the measurement of alphafetoprotein (AFP), a specific a‐globulin produced by fetal and malignant liver cells, in serum and amniotic fluid at low concentrations of ng/ml. In normal pregnancy, mean AFP levels in maternal serum showed a slow rise, from undetectable levels (less than 20 ng/ml) before 12 weeks of gestation, to a maximum at 30 weeks. After that, there was a comparable decline in levels for the remainder of pregnancy, up to 42 weeks. From 14 weeks there was a wide variation in individual AFP values at all stages of gestation, but most of them fell within 2 standard deviations above the mean. A correlation was found between AFP levels in samples of maternal serum and amniotic fluid taken simultaneously, with levels in amniotic fluid reading at least 50% higher. AFP levels in amniotic fluid in late pregnancy corresponded to the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio in an inverse relationship.