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Prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects

1980; Elsevier BV; Volume: 137; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0002-9378(80)91132-1

1097-6868

Steven H. Zeisel, Aubrey Milunsky, Jan Krzysztof Blusztajn,

Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging

Total cholinesterase activity in amniotic fluid obtained from 150 fetuses was measured. Elevated values were found in 94% of samples from fetuses known to have neural tube defects (spina bifida, anencephaly) when compared to nonbloody samples from normal fetuses. Contamination of amniotic fluid with blood was observed to elevate total cholinesterase activity in some, but not all, such specimens. Total cholinesterase activity did not vary with gestational age between 15 and 24 weeks. These data were compared to our large alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) assay experience used for the prenatal detection of neural tube defects. We concluded that the assay of total cholinesterase activity in amniotic fluid could be a useful adjunct to the AFP assay, especially in those samples contaminated with blood.