What does an elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein mean?
Higher than normal AFP levels may mean your baby has an increased risk of having a neural tube defect, such as: Spina bifida, a condition in which the bones of the spine don’t close around part of the spinal cord. Anencephaly, a condition in which the brain does not develop properly.
What is a normal AFP serum level in pregnancy?
Results are given in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Here is the normal range: For adults: less than 40 ng/mL. At 15 to 21 weeks’ gestation: 10 to 150 ng/mL.
What is a positive AFP result?
A positive AFP PLUS test means that you are in a higher likelihood group for having a baby with a neural tube defect or a chromosome abnormality. However, it does not prove by itself that there is anything wrong with the pregnancy.
What does maternal AFP test for?
The AFP test is measuring high and low levels of alpha-fetoprotein. The results are combined with the mother’s age and ethnicity in order to assess the probabilities of potential genetic disorders. High levels of AFP may suggest the developing baby has a neural tube defect such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
What is AFP normal range?
An AFP level between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL is normal for adults. An extremely high level of AFP in your blood—greater than 400 ng/mL—could be a sign of liver tumors. High levels of AFP may mean other cancers, including Hodgkin disease, lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).
What is a normal AFP level at 18 weeks pregnant?
Indications for Maternal alpha-protein
| Maternal serum level AFP | |
|---|---|
| 14 weeks of gestation | 25.6 ng/mL (median) |
| 16 weeks of gestation | 34.8 ng/mL (median) |
| 18 weeks of gestation | 47.3 ng/mL (median) |
| 20 weeks of gestation | 64.3 ng/mL (median) |
What causes high AFP levels in pregnancy?
Causes of elevated AFP are: Neural Tube Defects: Neural tube defects include both spina bifida (improper closure of the fetal spine) and anencephaly (improper closure of the fetal skull). Individuals with spina bifida can have variable problems as a result of the birth defect.
What is an abnormal AFP result?
How do you read AFP in pregnancy?
A positive test with a high AFP suggests a birth defect like spina bifida. That’s typically a result of 2.5 times or more than the “average” level of AFP you’d expect to see at that point in your pregnancy. A positive test with low AFP could mean a problem like Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome.