PEDIATRICS Vol. 77 No. 4 April 1986, pp. 582-586
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Outcome in Infants Born to Mothers With Unexplained Elevations of Maternal Serum agr-Fetoprotein

Barbara K. Burton MD1 and Robert G. Dillard MD1

1 From the Department of Pediatrics, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

The outcome in infants without fetal neural tube defect born to mothers with elevated maternal serum agr-fetoprotein was studied. Elevated maternal serum agr-fetoprotein with normal amniotic fluid agr-fetoprotein was found to be associated with an increased incidence of intrauterine growth retardation and nonneural tube congenital anomalies. There was no increased incidence of developmental disabilities in infants born to mothers with elevated maternal serum agr-fetoprotein. It is speculated that adverse events occurring early in gestation may simultaneously result in congenital anomalies and subsequently elevated maternal serum agr-fetoprotein, perhaps through disruption of the normal placental barrier between the fetal and maternal circulations.

Key Words: agr-fetoprotein • congenital anomaly • neural tube defect

Submitted on May 6, 1985
Accepted on July 22, 1985