elevated afp

[montysma1]

I am hoping for some advice/positive stories about this.

Today got my full results from an amnio performed just over 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness this showed normal for all chromosomes.

However, MW then went on to say that the result of AFP (offered as an afterthought it seemed), from blood drawn on the day of the amnio, was "a little high"

I think she said the cut off was 2 and i was reading 3.7.

Have been googling obviously and it mentions a lot of high false positives for this test. Many of the links mention high levels in terms of "multiples of the median" so I am wondering if mine is a little high , or very high or what.

For the record I am 45 and a bit heavy. We went for the amnio without screening tests as the nuchal wasnt offered and the blood tests we figured, would come in high anyway when they factored in my age. According to google though, neural tube defect occurence is not particulary increased with higher maternal age.

We have to go for a scan on tues. The 20 week anomaly scan is in 2 weeks. I am currently 15 weeks.

Any experiences or words of wisdom would be gratefully accepted.

[montysma1]

sorry, 18 weeks!

[snoozed]

Hi,

Know you posted this a while ago but I've just had a similar experience, and wondered how your scan went?

My AFP levels were also raised and had a detailed anatomy scan with a consultant and 2 other fetal medicine specialists, which was quite daunting. They said all looked ok but to come back at 20 weeks for another scan with the consultant when they will be able to see better.

Anyway I hope everything went well with your scan? Pretty frightening experience all in all!

[montysma1]

Hi there

It seemed to pan out ok. I went in a few days after and they spent a long time looking at various views of the spine, head size, brain ventricle size etc, and it all looked fine. They did some of the other measurements that they would do in the normal 20week scan too. I was due to then have the scheduled 20week scan 2 weeks later. They had mistakenly booked me for a clinic the day before that scan, during which they put the fear of death in me by having 2 different midwives unable to find a hear beat with a doppler, at which point they had me waiting ages to be scanned. Baby was fine and bouncing about. To be helpful (to save me coming back the next day for the 20week scan) they asked the sonographer to do all the measurements thay hadnt done at the 18week one.

This was all well and good, however, it was all a bit squeezed in and hurried, and i would have much preferred to have come back the next day and had the scheduled 20weeks scan so that they could have another look, and take their time about it. I felt that she never went back over the spinal stuff for a second look, she just completed all the other measurements so that they could tick them off in the boxes for a completed "detailed scan". So not totally satisfactory

Anyway, to answer your question, it seems to be ok from what they saw.
I was told that where there are no structural problems with the baby, the elevated AFP can be an indicator of possible growth restrication later on. However, due to my age this was already a risk and they had scheduled scans at 28,30 and 32 weeks anyway. However, they have now shoved in an extra one at 24 weeks just to keep an eye on things.

[snoozed]

Glad it all seems to be ok for you, it's quite unnerving isn't it. Know what you mean about feeling a bit rushed, you feel like just another thing to cross of their 'to do' list for that day sometimes.

I have a follow up scan with the consultant next week and they have already booked me in for further growth scans after that.

Can't stop beating myself up about it as this pregnancy was not planned, so I didn't start taking folic acid until after I found out. Alongside drinking etc.

So really hoping for good news next week!

Good luck with everything.