Abstract

HERNANDEZ ROJAS, Luis Humberto; RODRIGUEZ PEREZ, Alfredo; HERNANDEZ RAMOS, Jorge  and  RODRIGUEZ NAND, Lidia. Low levels of alpha fetoproteins in maternal serum as an indicator of perinatal risk . Rev Cubana Obstet Ginecol [online]. 1997, vol.23, n.2, pp. 108-114. ISSN 1561-3062.

A prospective study (cohort study) on 127 patients from Regla an Guanabacoa municipalities was carried out during July, 1993 and June, 1994. Patients enrolled in the study were between the 16^th and the 19^th weeks of gestation and presented with low levels of AFP-SM (I). The main objective of the study was to relate such low levels of AFP-SM to perinatal results and to know whether it constitutes an important indicator of perinatal risk. A control group including 127 patients with normal levels of AFP-SM (I or more), was used for the study. It was found that in patients presenting with low levels of AFP-SM the percentage of complications was higher during pregnancy and of those complications the most frequent were found to be arterial hypertension, the risk for preterm delivery, and anemia. Complications during delivery were also more frequent in patients with low levels of AFP-SM, and the most frequent adverse events were fetal distress, RPM, and funicular disease. The relative risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, and perinatal mortality was statistically significant for low values of AFP-SM.

Keywords : ALPHA FETOPROTEINS [analysis]; PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS; LABOR COMPLICATIONS; PREGNANCY TRIMESTER, SECOND; RISK GROUP.