The pregnancy period is one of the most beautiful, but at the same time very exciting for a woman, because she has a responsibility for the health and proper development of the unborn child. In order to respond in time to changes in the development of the fetus, doctors prescribe a huge number of tests, from which the expectant mother goes around spinning. Despite this, I want to control the results myself and know what happens to the unborn baby.
One of the tests that make many pregnant women nervous is the analysis of AFP ( alpha-fetoprotein). It is prescribed to identify malformations that may occur during the development of the fetus. The embryo begins the production of alpha-fetoprotein from approximately 5 weeks. Until this time, this is a function of a woman's ovaries. By 13-16 weeks, the level of AFP in the blood reaches the optimal amount for diagnosis. Therefore, it is during this period that an AFP analysis is prescribed. The norm for pregnancy in this analysis depends on the timing: the longer the term, the greater the permissible rate.
AFP-norm during pregnancy at 14 - 15 weeks - 26.0 - 30 IU / ml; at 16-18 weeks - 34- 44 IU / ml; 19-20 week - 50-57 IU / ml.
An AFP analysis is given during pregnancy by the method of blood sampling from a vein, while at least 6 hours should pass from the last meal, it is better to take an analysis in the morning on an empty stomach. So that the result does not turn out to be distorted, it is recommended that you follow a diet three days before blood sampling: do not eat fatty, salty, eggs, brightly colored fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, berries, dairy products, stop taking vitamins.
The waiting time for the results of an AFP test can vary from a week to three, depending on the laboratory base of the clinic. Not every medical institution has the necessary equipment, and in some cases it is necessary to send blood to other laboratories, which increases the waiting time for the result.
What can AFP tell during pregnancy?
If the result is below normal, then it may indicate a low placenta, obesity, hypothyroidism, diabetes in the expectant mother, the possibility of developing Down syndrome or a delay in development in the child.
If the result exceeds the norm, then this may indicate disturbances in the development of the nervous system, such as a partial absence of brain tissue or the entire brain, softening of the spine, which as a result can lead to paralysis.
Also, exceeding the AFP norm may indicate a threat of miscarriage, oligohydramnios, Rhesus conflict, kidney pathology, liver necrosis, umbilical hernia, or even possible fetal death.
AFP-norm during pregnancy is different for everyone and depends on many factors. Therefore, having received a result that seems abnormal, one should not immediately panic. Perhaps the doctor incorrectly determined the gestational age or the expectant mother suffers from diseases that increase the level of AFP in the blood, or maybe there are several of them instead of the alleged one embryo. These and some other reasons can provoke a false positive result. According to statistics, out of 100 AFPs who passed the analysis, the norm during pregnancy is detected only in 20. The remaining 80 are sent for consultation with a geneticist and other qualified specialists. They will analyze in detail the health of the mother and a variety of factors that could affect overestimated or underestimated levels of AFP in the blood. They will also be sent for additional blood tests and ultrasound. And only one pregnant woman out of 80 can have real complications in the development of the fetus.
It should be remembered that on the basis of one AFP analysis, the doctor cannot make a diagnosis, therefore, to obtain accurate results, a triple analysis is prescribed, which includes AFP, hCG and EZ studies.