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Ultrasonic Evaluation of Twin Pregnancies Associated With Raised Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Levels

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

J.P. Neilson ,
V.D. Hood  and
W. Cupples
J.P. Neilson*
Affiliation:
Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland
V.D. Hood
Affiliation:
Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland
W. Cupples
Affiliation:
Queen Mother's Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland
*
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harare Central Hospital, P.O. Box ST 14, Southerton, Harare, Zimbabwe

Abstract

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Five cases of twin pregnancy associated with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels are presented. In each instance an abnormality was detected by ultrasound examination—in four cases this represented anomalous development of one or both fetuses: discordant anencephaly; a monozygotic heterokaryotypic twin pregnancy with coexistent Turner's syndrome and intrauterine death; concordant body-stalk syndrome; and fetal exomphalos together with an acardiac monster. In the remaining case, there had been an intrauterine death of one of the twins. Ultrasound examination proved valuable in all instances; three pregnancies were terminated and single healthy infants were delivered from each of the other two pregnancies.

Keywords

Serum alpha-fetoproteinFetal abnormalityTwin pregnancyUltrasound
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 31 , Issue 3-4: Special Issue on Twin Pregnancies , July 1982 , pp. 229 - 233
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1982

References

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