What is negative AFP in pregnancy?
What is negative AFP in pregnancy?
If your results show lower than normal AFP levels, it may mean your baby has a genetic disorder such as Down syndrome, a condition that causes intellectual and developmental problems. If your AFP levels are not normal, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is a problem with your baby.
What is AFP test pregnancy?
Alpha-fetoprotein screening is a blood test that checks the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the mother’s blood during pregnancy. AFP is a protein normally made by the baby’s liver. It is found in the fluid surrounding the baby in the womb (amniotic fluid). AFP goes through the placenta into the mother’s blood.
How do you read AFP test results?
An AFP level between 10 ng/mL to 20 ng/mL is normal for adults. An extremely high level of AFP in your blood—greater than 400 ng/mL—could be a sign of liver tumors. High levels of AFP may mean other cancers, including Hodgkin disease, lymphoma, and renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).
How accurate is the AFP test in pregnancy?
This means it is not 100% accurate. It is only a screening test to see who might need more tests for their pregnancy. There can be false-positive results. These results show a problem when the baby is actually healthy.
What is a normal AFP value in pregnancy?
Results are given in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Here is the normal range: For adults: less than 40 ng/mL. At 15 to 21 weeks’ gestation: 10 to 150 ng/mL.
What is normal AFP level in pregnancy?
Alpha-fetoprotein levels in men and non-pregnant women vary for age and race but mostly range from 0 ng/ml to 40 ng/ml. Maternal AFP levels in pregnancy start to rise from about 14th week of gestation up until about 32 weeks gestation. Between week 15 and 20 weeks, levels usually range between 10 ng/ml to 150 ng/ml.
When should AFP be done in pregnancy?
The AFP test may be performed between the 14th and 22nd weeks of pregnancy, however, it seems to be most accurate during the 16th to 18th week. Your levels of AFP vary during pregnancy so accurate pregnancy dating is imperative for more reliable screening results.
How accurate is AFP test?
AFP had high overall accuracy, with a c-statistic of 0.87 (95%CI 0.85 – 0.89). Most importantly, we found that patient characteristics influenced the performance of AFP and could be used to define subgroups in whom it performed particularly well.
When is AFP Done in pregnancy?
In most cases, an alpha-fetoprotein test is done this way: Blood is usually taken from a vein between the 15th and 20th weeks of pregnancy. The blood sample is then sent off to be checked at a lab. Results of the tests are usually ready in 1 to 2 weeks or less, depending on the lab.