PREGNANCY-BIRTH Messages for July, 1999: Re: AFP

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Re: AFP

From: Rachael (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 11 Jul 1999 18:16:46 -0500 (CDT)

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In reply to: Jennifer: "AFP"

At Sat, 10 Jul 1999, Jennifer wrote: >
>This is a post from a friend and she is looking for some answers....
>Please help!
>
><<I got the results of my AFP back and of course they were abnormal. My
>risk of Down's was normal, but my risk of neural tube defect was high (1
>in 81). Naturally I freaked out. I called the perinatologist that I
>saw earlier in the pregnancy and he wants to see me on monday for a
>level II u/s and possibly an amnio. Here is my question. This
>pregnancy started off as
>quads and at my last u/s at 12½ weeks I was still showing 4 sacs - 1
>containing a viable fetus. Would the fact that I was pregnant with
>multiples change the results at all? The nurse was very vague with any
>info and a friend who is a midwife said she believed it would. What do
>you think? I guess what I am looking for is a little piece of mind to
>get me through until monday.>>
>
>Thanks!
>
>:o)
>
>--
>Jennifer
>MyRayOLite@AOL.COM
>PCOS
>1 Year Old Daughter
>

I am not a doctor, just explaining this AFP thing as I understand it from all the endless reading I've done. I hope that someone corrects me if anything I say is wrong. The way I understand it... This screening is measuring the amount of protein in your bloodstream. High amounts of this protein might indicate that the baby's neural tube was "open" and "leaking" protein into the amniotic fluid, your body is absorbing it through the placenta, thus you have high amounts of it in your blood. Everything I've ever read stated that twins (or more in your case) would totally throw off the reading and make it unreliable. My guess would be (and just a guess) it doesn't matter that you only have 1 viable baby, the sacs are still there, and may still be producing this protein.

Good luck with your U/S!

Next message: William D. McIntosh, MD: "Re: Mary Shoup procedures other than stitiches to pervent miscarrage"
Previous message: Kathy: "Re: GREAT STORY! -- What a hoot! That's just awful! :-/ (no message)"
In reply to: Jennifer: "AFP"

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