Maternal serum Alpha-fetoprotein Level at 12, 22 and 32weeks’ gestation in screening for pre-eclampsia

Abstract

Pre-eclampsia is a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Alpha_fetoprotein is measured in pregnant women, as a screening test for  pre-eclampsia.This study aimed to examine  the maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein at 12, 22 and 32 weeks ’gestation in singleton pregnancies and its performance as a screening test for Pre eclampsia. The study designed as prospective (Cohort) study, it was conducted in Obstetrics department in Salah AL Din Teaching Hospital, from the period of the 15th of December 2016 to the 1st of July 2017. Ninety six pregnant women at first trimester participated in the study, followed up prospectively sixty three  of them was attended a second  test in second trimester and seventy five of them was attended a third test in a third trimester. The mean age of the studied group was 27.1 ± 5.8 (range: 17-30) years .It had been observed that the mean level of  Alphafetoprotein was increased and the mean Multi of Median( MoM) was significantly reduced with advanced gestational age., there are highly significant differences at the different check-points in both mean and MoM, of the maternal alpha-fetoprotein. The mean alpha-fetoprotein level was higher in pre-eclampsia group compared to non-preeclampsia in all of the three testing points. The Comparison of mean alpha-fetoprotein levels of pre-eclampsia vs. non-preeclampsia women revealed that the mean, alpha-fetoprotein level was higher in pre-eclampsia group compared to non-preeclampsia in all of the three testing points, alpha-fetoprotein level at the second test was the better than the first and third  test.