The level of alpha-fetoprotein in a pregnant woman can show if her baby may have birth defects. It's part of a triple or quad screen. Find out more about this test.

A raised maternal serum level of alpha-fetoprotein during the second trimester of pregnancy is a marker of placental dysfunction and a strong predictor of the risk of unexplained stillbirth.

Another test, called urinary alpha-fetoprotein, is done using urine samples, as well as amniotic alpha-fetoprotein levels using amniocentesis, after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

A retrospective review of 27,710 medical records at UW Medicine hospitals evaluating alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels in pregnant patients between January 2007 and December 2020 found no clinical ...

Higher levels of AFP in your blood can help doctors catch liver problems and some cancers. Find out what the results may mean.

Hormonal change is the main reason for the fluctuations in blood sugar levels. During pregnancy the body produces hormones such as progesterone, estrogen, and human placental lactogen.

A maternal blood test, taken routinely during the second trimester of pregnancy, shows the level of a fetal blood protein, called alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), as well as taking other measurements to ...

The size of a pregnant woman's placenta can determine whether a fetus is at a high risk of stillbirth, according to a new study conducted by a clinician-researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

Mid-pregnancy serum AFP and hCG levels are thought to be closely related to an immunosuppressive response of the mother that aims to prevent the rejection of fetoplacental tissues (24, 25).

The quad screen is an optional prenatal test given between week 15 and week 22 of pregnancy to determine risk of Down syndrome, trisomy 18, neural tube defects, and abdominal wall defects.

Individuals who aren’t pregnant still have some AFP in their blood, but levels are normally low. High levels of AFP in adults who aren’t pregnant usually indicate certain types of liver disease.

"A raised maternal serum level of alpha-fetoprotein during the second trimester of pregnancy is a marker of placental dysfunction and a strong predictor of the risk of unexplained stillbirth.