HUMAN CHORIONIC GONADOTROPHIN AND ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN LEVELS IN MATCHED SAMPLES OF AMNIOTIC FLUID,EXTRAEMBRYONIC COELOMIC FLUID,AND MATERNAL SERUM IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY |
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Authors: | N. C. Wathen P. L. Cass M. J. Kitau T. Chard |
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Affiliation: | Combined Academic Departments of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Reproductive Physiology, St Bartholomew's Hospital and the Homerton Hospital, London EC1A 7BE, U.K. |
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Abstract: | Separately identified samples of amniotic fluid and extraembryonic coelomic fluid obtained by high resolution transvaginal ultrasound-guided amniocentesis from 32 women between 7 and 12 weeks of pregnancy were analysed for human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). There was a highly significant difference between the hCG levels in amniotic fluid (median level 6.3 U/ml; range 1.6–310.0 U/ml) and those in extraembryonic coelomic fluid (median level 400.0U/ml; range 135.0–2250.0U/ml) (p<0.001; Mann-Whitney U/–test). The levels of AFP were very similar in amniotic fluid (median 26.0 kU/ml; range 10.0–116.5 kU/ml) and extraembryonic coelomic fluid (median level 24.1 kU/ml; range 12.4–94.4 kU/ml). |
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Keywords: | Human chorionic gonadotrophin Alpha-fetoprotein Amniotic fluid Extraembryonic coelom First-trimester amniocentesis |
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