Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is inherently a protein produced directly in the liver and gastrointestinal tract of the embryo.
How does AFP change during pregnancy?
It is used for timely diagnosis of various types of defects in the fetal stage of fetal development. At the initial stage of development, this protein is produced by the yellow body. Already starting from the 5th week of pregnancy, the fetus starts to produce it on its own. Thus, alpha-fetoprotein plays the role of protection for the fetus, excluding the possibility of rejection of the embryo by the mother's body.
As the concentration of AFP in an embryo increases, its concentration increases in the mother's blood. Thus, the optimal level of protein is only 13-16 weeks. That is why AFP with a normally ongoing pregnancy, a woman is doing herself on this date. The maximum concentration of this protein reaches 32-34 weeks, after which it gradually decreases. So, by 1 year the level of alpha-fetoprotein in the body of crumbs reaches its normal value.
How is the AFP analysis deciphered?
Often, pregnant women, donating blood to AFP, do not know what it is, and accordingly, do not know the rates of the norm. The standard notation for many countries in the conduct of such an analysis is MoM (median). It is calculated by calculating the average value in the pre-set protein-level values. In this case, for a certain period of pregnancy is characteristic of its importance. The norm of AFP during pregnancy is the fluctuation of the concentration of this protein within the range of 0.5-2.5 MoM.
In the case of an increase in the concentration of AFP above this norm, doctors assume that there is a pathology in the fetus or a violation in the body of the pregnant woman. So, a similar picture can be observed when:
- multiple pregnancy ;
- necrosis of the liver;
- malformation of the neural tube of the fetus;
- pathology of the anterior abdominal wall;
- umbilical hernia in the fetus .
When is the analysis performed on AFP?
In addition, that the analysis for determining the level of AFP is carried out during pregnancy, it can be used to determine pathologies in men and not pregnant women. So, quite often when there is a suspicion of oncology, the AFP level performs the role of an oncomarker, but not everyone who passes the analysis knows what it is. So the increase in the level of this protein in the body can be caused by:
- cancer of the liver, pancreas, colon;
- a bronchus tumor;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- acute viral hepatitis;
- chronic renal failure.
As you can see, the list of diseases in which this analysis is carried out is quite extensive.
How correctly to hand over the analysis on AFP?
The AFP analysis itself is not sufficiently informative. Therefore, always his data is supported by ultrasound. Often in pregnancy, together with the determination of the level of alpha-fetoprotein, the level of placental hormones is determined, which enables the gynecologist to assess the condition of the placental system of the fetus.
To conduct this study, blood is taken from the vein of a pregnant woman. At the same time, the optimal period is 14-15 weeks, but the fence can be made in the interval of 14-20 weeks of pregnancy. Like most tests, AFP is performed on an empty stomach, in the morning. In this case, after the last meal should take at least 4-6 hours.
Thus, the analysis of AFP allows the timely identification of fetal malformations.