Abstract
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, (MSAFP) in normal pregnant women has been used to screen for fetal neural tube defect.
We measured MSAFP levels in 57 pregnant diabetic women, throughout pregnancy, to clarify the relationship between MSAFP and fetal abnormality.
The controls were 136 healthy pregnant women. No twins were born in either group.
Average age at delivery in pregnant diabetics was 28.8±4.2 years and average duration of diabetesuntil delivery was 7.0 ± 4.6 years. The pregnant diabetics consisted of 24 women with IDDM and 33 with NIDDM.
Pregnancies resulted in 2 spontaneous abortions, 1 intrauterine death, 9 premature deliveries, and 45 full-term deliveries.
MSAFP levels in the diabetics incresed from 12 to 15 weeks of gestation (mean MSAFP levels in 12 to 15 weeks of gestation: 18.9 ± 10.1 ng/ml), peaking at 32 to 35 weeks, (272.8 ±78.3 ng/ml),
There were no differences in MSAFP levels between diabetics and controls up to 12 weeks or after 20 weeks.
MSAFP levels in the diabetics during 12 to 19 weeks of gestation were significantly lower than in the controls.
We found no relaionship between MSAFP levels in diabetics and fetal abnormalities or mean blood glucose levels throughout regnancy.
