Abstract
α-fetoprotein (A.F.P.) has been measured in the amniotic fluids of thirty-one pregnancies leading to anencephaly (or anencephaly and spina bifida), three leading to spina bifida, and three leading to hydrocephaly (or hydrocephaly and spina bifida). In the anencephalic cases all A.F.P. concentrations were well above the normal range between 25 and 35 weeks of gestation; after 35 weeks five out of nine cases were clearly above normal. In a single case of spina bifida, where amniotic fluid was obtained at 13 weeks, A.F.P. concentration was four times greater than the highest normal level. After 30 weeks' gestation amniotic fluids from pregnancies leading to spina bifida and hydrocephaly could not be distinguished from normal pregnancies. These results suggest that amniotic-fluid-A.F.P. measurements will be valuable in the early antenatal diagnosis of anencephaly and spina bifida and will enable termination of these pregnancies.
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