An association between fetal abdominal wall defects and elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in mid-trimester |
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Authors: | D. Schmidt E. Rose F. Greenberg MD |
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Affiliation: | Institute for Molecular Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | We analysed maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in 16 pregnancies with fetal abdominal wall defects previously identified prenatally by elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) or at birth. The AFP levels had a mean of 6·38 MOM (range 0·34–15·65), as expected with these defects. The hCG levels had a mean of 1·82 MOM (range 0·23–4·11). The hCG levels in five pregnancies (31·25 per cent) were above 2·30 MOM. Elevated levels of hCG may be associated with fetal abdominal wall defects. |
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Keywords: | Alpha-fetoprotein Human chorionic gonadotropin Abdominal wall defects Omphalocele Gastroschisis |
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