Mid-trimester maternal serum AFP levels in predicting adverse pregnancy outcome

Objective: In our prospective study, we investigated the association between mid-trimester maternal serum AFP (ms-AFP) levels and adverse pregnancy outcome, in the South-Western Greek population.
Materials and Methods: 110 healthy Greek women with spontaneous pregnancies, investigated for ms-AFP levels between 13th-24th weeks of gestation and followed for adverse pregnancy outcome. AFP levels > 2.0 multiples of the median value for gestation, were considered abnormal. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson’s chi-square test.
Results: Elevated ms-AFP levels were detected in a total of 27 from the 110 women studied (24.5%). Among them, only 4 women (14.8%) developed pregnancy complications.
Conclusion: Multiparameter testing of placental function in the mid-trimester (uterine artery Doppler, placental morphology and ms-AFP screening) may allow us to identify women with increased risk to develop severe placental insufficiency and pregnancy complications.