And - a very important period in a woman's life. You can take care of the health of the child at the very beginning of pregnancy, and modern medicine and technology can provide effective assistance in this. In particular, a variety of things can explore the body of a woman and her baby.
Among them may be a blood test for AFP. In this article, we will try to find out what it is - alpha-fetoprotein during pregnancy, why it is so important and how it is measured.
Properties and significance for the body
AFP is an abbreviation, the decoding of which means "alpha-fetoprotein". AFP analysis during pregnancy is a way to detect and prevent the development of defects.
Alpha-fetoprotein is formed during the development of the embryo and fetus. This protein was discovered in 1944, but scientists have not yet fully understood all of its properties and functions. It is known that alpha-fetoprotein is initially produced by the yellow body of the ovaries of a pregnant woman, and then, from the 5th week, the fetus can already produce it itself. 
It is synthesized by the liver and gastrointestinal tract of the embryo; it is a precursor of albumin. Of great importance is the ability of AFP to protect the unborn baby from rejection by the mother's immune system. Also, its function is to transport oxygen to the body of the fetus.
How AFP levels change during pregnancy
At the 5th week of pregnancy, the embryo is already ready to independently begin to produce alpha-fetoprotein, which is necessary so that the mother's immunity does not reject the new organism developing in her. In the process of growth and development of the baby, the level will gradually increase. The embryo releases it into the amniotic fluid in the womb, from where it enters her bloodstream, and then is excreted from her body through the process of natural metabolism.
The concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in the mother's blood, respectively, will increase over time and reach a maximum value of 32-, after which it will begin to decrease. The protein level returns to normal closer to the time when the child is one year old, and becomes the same as in a healthy adult. 
The optimal time for diagnosing the level of AFP in the body of a pregnant woman is 12-. The data obtained during this period are the most valuable for the study.
Important! The control of alpha-fetoprotein during pregnancy is very important for the health of the unborn baby. It can reveal fetal pathologies or obstetric mothers. You need to know that AFP levels change every week.
Indications for analysis for alpha-fetoprotein
Arriving at an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist, a pregnant woman may be prescribed an analysis to control the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood, based on her condition and history.
There are a number of medical indications, in the presence of which the doctor may recommend taking an AFP test during pregnancy:
- age over 35 years;
- spouses are close relatives;
- the presence in the anamnesis of one of the spouses or close relatives of genetic diseases, malformations;
- the birth of children with malformations and / or diseases that are inherited;
- spontaneous and stillbirth;
- primary infertility or primary amenorrhea;
- taking medications that are prohibited for pregnant women in the I and II trimester, as indicated in the annotation to the medication;
- x-ray study.
Procedure for preparing and conducting analysis
Doctors recommend testing for alpha-fetoprotein at 13-15 weeks, because this is the period when the result of the study in pregnant women is most accurate. 
To obtain the most informative and reliable analysis result, the procedure for preparing for it should be as follows:
- Cancel the intake of medications 1-2 weeks before the planned date of delivery, and if this is not possible, then be sure to inform the doctor at the point of delivery of the analysis, indicating the data on what kind of drugs they are and the dosage in which they are taken. Accumulating in the body of a woman, the substances that make up the drugs can affect the result of the examination.
- Exclude alcoholic beverages, spicy, salty, fatty and fried foods from the diet of a pregnant woman on the eve of delivery.
- Limit physical activity on the body of a pregnant woman, namely carrying weights and active physical exercises for 1-2 days.
- The test for alpha-fetoprotein passes strictly on an empty stomach and this is an important condition. The last meal should be at least 8 hours before the analysis. In the morning on the day of blood donation, it is allowed to drink only 100-200 ml.
Analysis during pregnancy: norms and deviations
A blood test for alpha-fetoprotein during pregnancy can be taken from the 12th week to the 30th. During this period, its concentration can give a lot of information about the health of the expectant mother and the process of intrauterine development of the baby.
Since the level of AFP during pregnancy changes every day, there are norms for its concentration by week, which are convenient to consider in the table: 
If, as a result of the analysis of AFP, a discrepancy between the norms is found, the gynecologist may prescribe additional studies that can give a clearer picture of the health of the woman and the fetus. It is mandatory to carry out in order to accurately determine the gestational age. In the process of performing the study, the doctor can visually confirm the indicators and possible malformations of the embryo.
Important!A deviation from the norms of the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood of a pregnant woman can be an important signal for the doctor. Timely identified discrepancies will allow for effective treatment or timely pregnancy.
Additionally, the doctor may refer the patient to the study of placental hormones in order to understand the state of the fetoplacental system. It is also recommended to pass a triple test, which includes an analysis for AFP, hCG and free estriol. The data obtained as a result of the survey will allow us to assess the risk of malformations in the fetus and take the necessary measures to maintain the health of the mother and child.
The norms for the analysis of AFP and hCG during pregnancy are shown in the table: 
Physiological norms of content
The physiological norms of the alpha-fetoprotein indicator, obtained as a result of a blood test, range from 10 ng / ml to 8 IU / ml.
Did you know?By the end of the pregnancy, the placenta produces the same amount of estrogen as the gonads of a non-pregnant woman for three whole years.
AFP deviation from the norm is measured in units called MoM, which are standard for all laboratory studies. This is an indicator of the ratio of the real level of alpha-fetoprotein to the median (the average value of the content of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood). The median value is normal if it is between 0.5 MoM and 2.5 MoM. 
Deciphering the analysis of AFP during pregnancy will show whether the deviation from the norms and medians is significant. Using the MoM indicator, it is possible to compare the value of analyzes obtained in different laboratories and carried out by different methods. Research can be done using:
- immunochemical method;
- enzyme immunoassay.
Increased concentration of AFP
An increase in the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the blood of a pregnant woman means that there may be:
- multiple pregnancy;
- large fruit;
- malformation of the neural tube of the fetus;
- fetal liver necrosis;
- pathology of the kidneys of the fetus and urinary tract;
- umbilical hernia of the fetus;
- Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome.
Decreased concentration of AFP
If the concentration of AFP in the body of a pregnant woman is below normal, this may mean:
- Down syndrome in the embryo (provided that the study was carried out after the 10th week of pregnancy);
- Patau syndrome;
- trisomy 18;
- intrauterine growth retardation;
- fetal death or missed pregnancy;
- risk of spontaneous miscarriage.
Summing up, it should be said that the analysis for the level of alpha-fetoprotein is an important medical study that must be submitted within the period specified by the doctor, without fail adhering to the indicated recommendations. Timely examination of a pregnant woman can prevent the risk of developing fetal pathologies and save his life. And only a qualified doctor can do such an analysis, so do not be afraid to contact him for help.
Statistics show that at all times non-viable children were born or those who, while still existing in the womb, received developmental defects of various severity. True, in the past there were much more such babies compared to the present times. In order to detect genetic "errors" in the fetus already in the early stages of its existence, today specific methods have been developed for detecting various anomalies. Analysis of AFP during pregnancy refers to such methods.
In modern medical practice, a screening blood test for a future mother is considered to be a mandatory procedure: the frequency of births of children with congenital defects is still high. About 20 years ago, few could afford such a diagnostic method - prices were very “biting”, but today every woman can find out if everything is in order with her baby. So what does AFP analysis mean?
For the first time, women who were expecting a baby got the opportunity to use this “test” in the early 70s of the XX century. It was at this time that scientists discovered the relationship between the level of AFP and severe defects in the formation of the fetus, which posed a great danger to its normal development.
Today, a blood test for AFP is recommended for every pregnant woman to undergo in the first weeks of an “interesting” situation. This is a period from 1 to 12 weeks of gestation, and 10 and 11 weeks of gestation are considered the most favorable for blood tests for the level of this substance. Experts say that this screening analysis can be trusted by 93 - 95%, provided that all the rules for its implementation were followed, and the reliability was supported by additional diagnostic measures. A blood test for alpha-fetoprotein is considered a fundamental procedure for diagnosing pathologies in shaping the future of a person.
Alpha-fetoprotein and its importance for the intrauterine life of a child
Under the abbreviation AFP lies the encrypted name of a specific protein in the human body. It's called alpha-fetoprotein.
This substance can be produced by the corpus luteum (located in the ovaries of a pregnant woman) from 1 to 5 weeks of gestation, the yolk sac and hepatocytes of the embryo or fetus. AFP is of great importance for the successful growth and well-being of the baby in the womb and is responsible for the following important processes:
- it is essentially a transport substance and is engaged in the movement of essential proteins from a woman’s blood into a tissue clot, from which the child’s body will subsequently form - thanks to AFP, the baby grows;
- transfers valuable fats, the so-called polyunsaturated fatty acids, to the fetus. They are the "building material" for building cell membranes. When there is an average of 4 weeks left before delivery, fats take an active part in the creation of surfactant. This substance lines the pulmonary alveoli and gives the baby the ability to breathe independently after birth;
- protects the fetus from the mother's hormones, which can behave aggressively towards the little man;
- maintains stable blood pressure in the child's vessels at the physical level;
- successfully suppresses the negative impact of the immune cells of the female body on the fragile body of the fetus. This is an important factor for the normal course of pregnancy and prevents the risk of spontaneous miscarriage.
From the beginning of the 6th week of pregnancy, a specific protein enters the body of the expectant mother by being absorbed into the blood from the amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is saturated with alpha-fetoprotein when fetal urine is excreted into it.
On a note! AFP can also be produced in non-pregnant women and men. Protein synthesis occurs against the background of abnormal cell growth - in other words, during the formation of a tumor (this can be oncological diseases of the liver, ovaries and testicles).
All future mothers need to examine the blood for the amount of alpha-fetoprotein during the gestation period up to 12 weeks. If the indicators of the first study do not correspond to the norm, the blood is taken again.
The following factors are considered absolute indications for this diagnostic procedure:
- the baby's parents are blood relatives;
- the previous child was born with malformations or hereditary pathology;
- the expectant mother has already celebrated her 35th birthday;
- a woman in a position was exposed to the harmful effects of hazardous substances or phenomena (poison, radiation, etc.);
- future parents have had accidents in the past in the form of stillbirth and spontaneous miscarriages;
- before conception or in the first weeks after it, the woman took medications with a potential teratogenic effect on the embryo;
- the father or mother of the baby is marked by a genetic mutation or pathology of a hereditary nature;
- the pregnant woman underwent x-ray examinations in the early stages of pregnancy.
How is the AFP test done?
Biological material for clinical research is taken from a vein early in the morning. 10 ml of blood is sufficient for the analysis. After the biological material sampling procedure, the blood is sent to the laboratory to determine the amount of AFP in the expectant mother.
In order for the result of the AFP analysis to be as reliable and correct as possible, a woman must follow several important recommendations before the blood sampling procedure:
- do not take medication 2 weeks before the proposed blood donation. Any medicines tend to penetrate the blood and internal organs of a woman, remaining there for a while. This can significantly distort the indicators regarding the content of fetal protein in the body;
- do not eat "heavy", fried, salty, rich in spices dishes and do not take alcohol the day before the procedure;
- say "no" to physical activity (sports, general cleaning, carrying heavy bags) 1 - 2 days before going to the laboratory;
- have dinner no later than 21.00 on the eve of blood sampling;
- don't have breakfast in the morning. It is allowed to drink a little (100 - 150 ml) of purified water. A large amount of fluid can reduce the actual content of the substance in the woman's blood.
What does a blood test for AFP mean: norm and deviations
The correspondence of fetal protein levels to generally accepted data leaves no room for doubt, since the baby in this case develops correctly, and nothing threatens his health.
However, the allowable concentration of AFP is an unstable coefficient. Its value directly depends on the gestational age. The following indicators of the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein protein in the blood of the expectant mother are traditional:
- gestation from 1 to 13 weeks - 0.5 - 15 IU / ml;
- 14 - 16 weeks - 15 - 60 IU / ml;
- 17 - 20 weeks - 16 - 95 IU / ml;
- 21 - 24 weeks - 26 - 125 IU / ml;
- 25 - 28 weeks - 50 - 140 IU / ml;
- 29 - 30 weeks - 65 - 150 IU / ml;
- 31 - 32 weeks - 100 - 250 IU / ml.
Nevertheless, these data cannot be considered the ultimate truth. The fact is that different laboratories of diagnostic studies, while deciphering the analysis of AFP, rely on their average indicators, the value of which is determined by the quality of the equipment and chemical reagents used. This means that the rate of AFP analysis in different centers may vary slightly.
The deviation of the concentration of a given specific substance from the known expected results is expressed using units that are multiples of normal quantitative data. After that, the results are decoded. There are 2 possible options for the discrepancy between the established indicators of a specific protein and the norm - exceeding the maximum normal value and, accordingly, reducing the identified data compared to the norm.
Taking into account the results obtained, the doctor can draw a conclusion regarding the condition of the pregnant woman and her baby. Here is what the excess of the maximum allowable AFP values says:
- The presence of two or more babies in the uterus.
- Growing child is overweight.
- Destructive development of the liver of a little man due to a viral infection that a pregnant woman suffered.
- Malformation of the neural tube in a child. In particular, the brain may be absent or a cleft may appear in the spinal column.
- The presence of an umbilical hernia in the fetus.
- Pathology in the development of the urinary system in the fetus.
- Pathology of the development of the abdominal wall in a child.
- Pathological development of the digestive system and malformations of the gastrointestinal tract in particular.
- Pathology at the chromosomal level.
If the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein protein in the blood of a pregnant woman is below normal, this may indicate abnormalities such as:
- Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities (if the blood test was performed after 10-11 weeks of pregnancy).
- Delay in the development of the fetus or its intrauterine death.
- Pathological development of the embryo (for example, hydatidiform mole).
- Increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage.
Doctors tend to regard any discrepancy between the test results as a potential threat to the normal development of the baby.
The results of the AFP analysis are not normal - what to do?
When you find out that your alpha-fetoprotein tests are not perfect, first of all, try not to worry, let alone panic. Remember that AFP analysis is an important, but not the only diagnostic method, so you should not take its results as the only reliable ones.
An objective picture of your situation will be known to the doctor only after receiving data from other examination methods. We are talking about a mandatory ultrasound examination of the fetus, the procedure of amniocentesis and a blood test for the level of other important hormones related to the course of pregnancy. In addition, the indicators of a specific protein in the blood during 9 months of gestation are constantly changing, so a slight error in determining the gestational age can play a trick on the AFP test, because then it will not correspond to the true gestational age. That is why the vast majority of specialists perceive the results of the analysis for AFP as a probable, and not an exact coefficient.
What tests should be taken while expecting a baby. Video
Couples dreaming of children wish them happiness and health. Statistics, unfortunately, give disappointing facts that a certain number of newborn babies have various pathologies that affect the quality of life not only of children, but also of their environment. Such cases are not isolated, and the reasons that lead to such undesirable results during pregnancy are explained by many circumstances. This is the current state of ecology, and the living and working conditions of parents, as well as the rhythm and way of life. The birth of children doomed to torment can be prevented using intrauterine methods for determining deviations and the presence of various pathologies in the development of the fetus.
One of these methods for determining deviations is the examination of alpha-fetoprotein. This analysis is recommended for every pregnant woman who wants to give birth to a healthy and strong baby. The survey is best done in the first trimester, 10, 11 and 12 obstetric weeks are considered optimal. The error of this type of testing is about 5 - 10%, subject to the rules of the survey. However, the reliability of the results still needs to be confirmed, which is carried out with the help of some additional analyzes. Only on the basis of a full and comprehensive examination, it is possible to make a final diagnosis and decide on further actions.
AFP screening analysis is the initial step in the process of diagnosing fetal abnormalities during pregnancy. It is premature to draw conclusions on one survey; a comprehensive, comprehensive examination is necessary.
What is alpha fetoprotein
- Alpha-fetoprotein is a special kind of protein that begins to be produced immediately after conception. Initially, the enzyme is produced by the mother's body, in particular, the corpus luteum of the ovaries. Then the formed embryo begins to produce it with the help of the yolk sac of the embryo, and, finally, as the fetus develops, the cells of its liver synthesize the protein.
- Alpha-fetoprotein, and in particular, its certain concentration, plays a decisive role in the full development of the child in the womb and performs a number of important tasks. This:
- the transfer of the constituent elements of maternal blood, which is performed by transport proteins that are also involved in the construction of the baby's body, ensuring its growth and development;
- transportation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which ensure the production of fetal cell membranes, and before childbirth, literally a month before their resolution, these cells are involved in the production of surfactant (a substance that envelops the alveoli in the lungs), which ensures independent breathing of a newborn child;
- blocking the effect of the maternal hormone estrogen on the growing body of the unborn child;
- an obstacle to the influence of the immune system of the expectant mother, who is trying to reject the embryo, perceiving it as a foreign body (reduces the formation of a woman's immune cells that affect the developing fetus, which allows it to endure and spontaneously reject).
- AFP in the urine of the fetus is excreted in the amniotic fluid, and thus absorbed into the blood of the pregnant woman. Part of the protein enters the mother's circulatory system through the placenta.
- In non-pregnant women, this type of protein is formed only when tumors occur. By the way, the same applies to males. The synthesis of this complex biological substance in this case is provoked by the growth of cancer cells in the liver, testicles in men or ovaries in women. The results of the analyzes confirm the presence of such a pathology in approximately 4-5% of such subjects.
- During pregnancy, AFP testing helps to monitor the development of the unborn child. Usually a normal pregnancy is confirmed by the results of the examination, which is carried out in the second trimester. At a later date, at about 32 - 34 obstetric weeks, AFP values should normally increase to peak values, while closer to the resolution of childbirth, they should gradually decrease. In a one-year-old child, AFP values do not differ from those of an adult.
- By week 12, the child's liver is able to independently synthesize AFP, supplying it to the circulatory system. The study of the mother's blood serum during this period allows you to control the state of intrauterine development of her unborn child.
Indications for analysis
An AFP examination as part of the professional management of pregnancy is prescribed for all expectant mothers. The optimal time for this analysis is the 12th week. The need for repeated tests of this plan is determined entirely by the results of the first examination. If the result of the examination is unsatisfactory initially, this means that the state of health of the pregnant woman requires a more thorough check.
AFP examinations require the following medical indications:
- if a married couple who conceived a child is related by blood;
- if the pregnant woman already has a child with developmental disabilities or a hereditary pathology;
- in late pregnancy, if the expectant mother is over 35 years old;
- upon contact with chemicals that have a negative effect on the human body as a whole and the pregnancy process, in particular (poisons, radiation, etc.);
- if a pregnant woman has a history of miscarriages, stillborn children and the fact that a couple is being treated for infertility;
- when taking medications that are toxic to the child;
- if there were hereditary diseases in parents, chromosomal pathologies or gene mutations;
- with X-ray exposure of a pregnant woman, which happened at the very beginning of pregnancy.
Procedure for testing for alpha-fetoprotein
- For the examination, 10 mm of venous blood is needed. The result of the analysis is the determination of the level of AFP in maternal blood.
- To conduct the test, it is important to prepare in a timely and correct manner:
- at least 10 days, and preferably two weeks, stop taking any medications (the concentration of drugs that act by accumulating in the body will distort the true AFP content in the blood);
- a day before blood sampling for AFP during pregnancy, a woman should consume exclusively dietary food;
- for a day or two, it is recommended that a pregnant woman refrain from physical exertion (do not carry weights, wait a little with cleaning, washing and other physical work);
- the examination is carried out on an empty stomach, or not less than 5 hours after the last meal. Just before the analysis, you can drink no more than one glass of filtered water, since drinking plenty of water can reduce the level of AFP in a woman's body during pregnancy.
- The test is carried out immediately after sleep, preferably with the shortest possible time interval. Therefore, choose a laboratory that is close to your home.
Norm of analysis for AFP
- Medical laboratories contain in their arsenal various reagents for conducting tests and use variable research methods. The boundary values, which are often considered the norm, largely depend on the number of complete obstetric weeks and the rate of protein penetration through the placenta into the body of the expectant mother.
- The generally accepted systems for measuring the level of AFP are calculated in MoM or U / ml, and are standard values for all laboratories. The normal content for any period of pregnancy is considered to be a level in the range from 0.5 to 2 MoM.
- The value of the AFP indicator normally changes by weeks of pregnancy according to the following scheme:
- 5 - 11 weeks: the upper limit does not exceed 15 U / ml;
- 13 - 15 weeks: concentration in the range of 15 - 62 U / ml;
- 15 - 19 weeks: AFP values range from 15 to 95 U / ml;
- 20 - 25 weeks: the norm is calculated between 28 and 125 U / ml;
- 25 - 27 weeks: AFP in the range of 50 - 140 U / ml;
- 28 - 31 weeks: increase to 68 - 150 U / ml;
- 32 - 34 weeks: the maximum value reaches from 100 to 251 U / ml.
- The concentration of AFP in healthy men and women is considered normal if its value does not exceed 10 U / ml.
- Future mothers are re-analyzed at 16-18 weeks of pregnancy. The norm for such a period is the AFP limits of 15 - 95 U / ml or 0.5 - 2.0 MoM.
- The results of the AFP examination are compared with the indicators of the examination for hCG during pregnancy and the level of estriol at this time.
- In the practice of obstetrics, there are often cases when, when examining women in position, deviations are revealed both up and down.
Increased concentration of AFP
- Often, the excess of normal values in pregnant women is more common than low concentrations. Any deviation from normal indicators is fraught with the development of anomalies of organs of various levels of severity in a child. Additional tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis.
- Only a doctor can confirm developmental abnormalities after a fetal ultrasound procedure. If suspicions remain after the ultrasound, to complete the picture, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood is usually determined and an analysis of amniotic fluid called amniocentesis (amniotic fluid is examined) is performed.
- The list of causes that cause elevated AFP during pregnancy:
- multiple pregnancy;
- a viral infection that was transmitted to the child;
- large fruit;
- signs of fetal underdevelopment;
- the presence of an umbilical hernia in the fetus;
- gastroschisis (expressed in nonunion of the abdominal wall);
- abnormal development of the kidneys and urinary system of the child (the fetus does not have one or both kidneys, polycystic kidney disease, the unfinished process of the formation of these organs);
- pathology of the development of the fetal brain (the neural tube has developmental defects, the absence of the brain or part of it, and other abnormalities);
- pathology of the development of the digestive organs (intestine or esophagus with a closed end or shortened, anomalies in the development of the stomach);
- hydrocephalus;
- cystic skid;
- chromosome pathology (signs of Down syndrome, Patau or Edwards syndrome);
- development of diabetes mellitus or hypertension in a pregnant woman;
- obesity during high pregnancy;
- severe form of preeclampsia (late toxicosis);
- signs of a threatened miscarriage.
- The vast majority of these abnormal changes in the fetus are very severe pathologies leading to the non-viability of the unborn child. Such forms of deviations are caused by an increase in the level of intrauterine protein.
- Minor deviations can be ignored, most often they are caused by inaccuracies in determining the number of full obstetric weeks. In such a situation, nothing needs to be done. And with significant differences in indicators from the norms, a clarifying examination of the ultrasound of the fetus and analysis of amniotic fluid should be carried out. When confirming the diagnosis of a pregnant woman, it is recommended to perform an artificial birth.
Decreased concentration of AFP
- A decrease in the level of AFP is much less common, such a deviation from normal indicators also indicates an anomaly in the development of the child's body.
- Reasons for a decrease in the concentration of AFP:
- the threat of miscarriage in the first third of the pregnancy process, and the threat of having a baby prematurely - from 16 weeks;
- cystic skid;
- the presence of intrauterine anomalies in the development of the fetus;
- fading of the fetus (intrauterine);
- chromosomal pathologies (Down, Patau or Edwards syndromes).
- Fixation of a sharp drop in the concentration of AFP, confirmed by additional examinations, requires urgent intervention and complex treatment aimed at maintaining pregnancy, or a decision on the need for immediate artificial resolution of pregnancy.
- An unfavorable AFP analysis is not yet a verdict. Only 5% of women in this case really have serious problems with the development of the child in the womb. Almost 90% of the surveyed expectant mothers subsequently give birth to perfectly healthy children.
- An exceptionally unfavorable AFP test result is not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis. It is only a kind of signal that determines the possibility of risk. In this case, it is necessary to consult a specialist who will correctly decipher the test results and decide on further actions.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of timely examination of AFP by a pregnant woman. The results of the analysis can determine the future fate of pregnancy. Do not expose yourself and your unborn child to the risk of irreparable situations. A timely examination will save your child from an inferior life and can prevent a tragedy in the family. An unfortunate set of circumstances can adversely affect such a pregnancy, but this does not mean that you cannot have perfectly healthy and full-fledged children.
The entire period of pregnancy, a woman must monitor her health in order to protect the unborn child from pathologies. AFP blood test is one of the biochemical screening markers in the second trimester.
AFP is an alpha-fetoprotein protein produced by the ovaries (corpus luteum) after fertilization of the egg, and in the early stages (from 5 weeks) by the gastrointestinal tract and liver of the fetus, providing it with normal blood circulation and metabolism.
It enters the woman's body through the amniotic fluid and the placenta. The concentration of AFP protein in the blood of the expectant mother increases as the fetus grows.
A small amount of alpha-fetoprotein is determined after 5 weeks from conception, and the maximum value is fixed at 32–34 weeks. The level decreases towards the end of the last trimester, before childbirth. Throughout pregnancy, AFP weakens the immune system of the pregnant woman so that the fetus develops and is not rejected.
Between 15 and 21 weeks, pregnant women undergo a “triple test” (biochemical screening) in order to exclude congenital pathologies of the unborn child: defects in the neural tube, internal organs and chromosomal abnormalities. It consists of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and free estriol.
In case of deviation from the normative indicators, the gynecologist sends for an additional examination (retake of the analysis, ultrasound, genetics consultation).
Screening is mandatory for women over 35 years of age and those who have hereditary genetic diseases. The use of narcotic drugs during pregnancy is an indicator for passing the examination.
Preparing for a blood test
The analysis is prescribed by a gynecologist to exclude fetal pathologies at different stages of pregnancy. The most suitable period is from 16 to 18 weeks. For research, venous blood (10 ml) is taken in public or private laboratories.
The examination is often carried out in the morning on an empty stomach. In some situations, an exception may be made, but the last meal should be at least 4-5 hours before blood sampling.
