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<<< DLOACT::APP$DISK:[NOTES$LIBRARY]PARENTING_V3.NOTE;1 >>>
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Note 382.31 AFP: Alpha Fetoprotein Test 31 of 31
MARVIN::MARSH "The dolphins have the answer" 55 lines 12-FEB-1992 04:10
-< Scan and Bart's test as back-up >-
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I second the note in .30 about scans plus would like to add some
information for UK mothers.
If you live in the UK, you should ask about the Bart's test. You have to
pay for this (�50), but it's a great way to obtain information from a
maternal blood sample. You post the blood sample (in a special package!!)
via express post to St Bartholomew's Hospital in London who return the
results to your GP within a week. The Barts test gives you stats on
your chances with neural defects, Down's syndrome and other congenital
problems. The test is done between 16 and 18 weeks.
I was told about this test at by booking appointment at the John
Radcliffe in Oxford, and regard it as �50 well spent. I had my AFP
sample taken the same day (at 17 weeks) and the Oxford AFP came back 3
times what it should of been. I was called in for an emergency high
definition scan as they thought the baby had died. I was pretty sure the
baby was fine as I could feel it, but they just wanted to make sure.
Oxford then looked at my Bart's test results which gave a slighly
elevated AFP (probably due to tissue from the twin I lost at 6 weeks)
together with the stats on my chances of having a neural defect or
Down's problem. As the the Down's stat was way down for my age group,
that was one thing less to worry about. However as I will be almost 35
when I deliver in May, I was on the borderline for automatic amino testing
anyway. The stats for neural defect was 1 in 120, the stat for
miscarriage due to amnio given I had already had bleeding early on was 1
in 80. We then had an hour or so of counselling with the ultra-sound
specialist, his registrar and my obstetrician - talk about pulling out
all the stops!!
They explained that they had only had one other rogue AFP result in 8
years as strange as mine, that the high intensity scan showed the spine
and brain to be fine with the baby doing all it should do and that
amnio was not advised in this case. They were also reminded us that no
test is perfect and that the stats were only a guideline. We'll have to
wait until delivery to see exactly how fit the baby is!! They now think
high intensity scans as good as amnio in detecting neural problems - a
skilled scanner can obtain as much information just by looking at the
baby as a technician can from an amnio culture with far less risk of
miscarriage or errors.
Given this, plus the fact they gave me a follow-up high intensity scan
2 weeks later just to make sure things were going well, we decided against
having amnio.
I guess the lesson from this is don't worry about high AFP, get a high
intensity scan if you can (the only machines in Southern England
outside London are at Oxford and Southampton). Ordinary scan machines
will also pick up some problems, but are not as accurate. Plus, if you
can afford it, pay for the Bart's test if you want the back-up
information.
Celia
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