DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i07.030

Pages: 2586-2590

This study was a prospective observational study sponsored by DBT (Department of Biotechnology), New Delhi. It was carried out in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital during the period 2014-15 with a total of 202 women whose maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) was measured between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation. The objective of the study was to determine whether elevated MSAFP level between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation is associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome including preterm birth, preeclampsia/ eclampsia, SGA, Stillbirth/Neonatal death. MSAFP level was determined by using an immunometric immunoassay technique. Women with MSAFP level ≥ 2.5MoM were defined as elevated MSAFP. Results showed women with elevated MSAFP were significantly more likely to have subsequent adverse pregnancy outcome (70%) compared to women with MSAFP < 2.5 MoM (18.6%) (p<0.0001) with a relative risk of 3.76 (95% confidence interval 2.5 -5.5).It was thus concluded from the study that there is a strong association between elevated MSAFP in the second trimester and a subsequent adverse pregnancy outcome including preterm birth, preeclampsia/eclampsia, SGA (Small for gestational age) and Stillbirth/ neonatal death.