Current issues in maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening.
review · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 1372789.
- No licence information is recorded for this record.
- Because redistribution is not established, this page shows the abstract only. Follow the links below for the full text.
Abstract
Measurement of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein originated in the early 1970s as a means to screen for fetal neural tube defects, a relatively common and devastating class of malformations. Since that time, assay methods have improved, interpretation has been refined, follow-up testing for neural tube defects has advanced, and many other disease associations have been uncovered. It is a unique test, both in its clinical application and its laboratory implementation. The present review outlines current procedures for maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening and summarizes recent developments.
Medical subject headings
- Pregnancy
- Prenatal Diagnosis
- alpha-Fetoproteins