MATERNAL SERUM ALPHA-FETOPROTEIN AND HUMAN CHORIONIC-GONADOTROPIN IN PREGNANT-WOMEN WITH ACUTE PARVOVIRUS B19 INFECTION WITH AND WITHOUT FETAL COMPLICATIONS

Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MS-AFP) and human gonadotropin (MS-h CG) were retrospectively determined in 137 sera from 65 pregnant women with an acute parvovirus B19 infection. In 35 of the pregnant women, fetal complications occurred (group 1); in the remaining 30 women, the re were no fetal complications (group 2). In group 1, significant elev ations of MS-AFP were detected in 13 of the 35 women (37 per cent) and of MS-hCG in 25 of the 35 women (71 per cent). In nine of those women , sera were obtained before occurrence of fetal complications and MS-A FP was elevated in one case and MS-hCG in four cases. In one woman, bo th MS-AFP and MS-hCG were elevated. In group 2, significant elevations of MS-AFP were found in two of the 30 women (6.7 per cent) and of MS- hCG in five of the 30 women (16.7 per cent). Neither MS-AFP nor MS-hCG appears to be a regular early marker for poor pregnancy outcome in pa rvovirus B19-infected pregnancies, although they were frequently eleva ted at the time of complications. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.