Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein testing in native Japanese women

Owing to differences in maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic g onadotrophin and oestriol levels between native Japanese and Caucasian wome n screened in this labortory, a study was conducted to measure amniotic flu id alpha-fetoprotein (AFAFP) levels in native Japanese pregnancies, When th e native Japanese AFAFP levels were compared with a United States (non-Blac k) population, the Japanese medians did not decrease as rapidly over the 14 to 22 weeks of gestation period investigated. At 14 weeks, the difference was negligible, graduating to a difference of 20 per cent by 22 weeks' gest ation. Native Japanese pregnancy AFAFP levels should be interpreted based u pon population data from that group alone. From these findings, prenatal sc reening laboratories should be encouraged to collect preliminary data for c omparison before screening is initiated for a defined ethnic group. Copyrig ht (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.