AFP (Alpha Fetoprotein), Amniotic Fluid

AFP Amniotic Fluid Test Overview

Alpha-Fetoprotein or AFP amniotic fluid test is used to test for the level of Alpha-Fetoprotein in the blood of a pregnant woman. AFP is made by developing babies and checking for its levels can tell doctors about the risk of birth defects or genetic problems that the child may face. Normally some AFP passes from the child to the mother’s blood and using the amniotic fluid AFP test, doctors can test if the levels are higher or lower than normal. 

It is important to note that the amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein test doesn’t conclude that the child has any health problems. If there’s an unnatural report, doctors will recommend the mother to go through other tests to determine if the baby has any health problems or not.

When Is AFP Amniotic Fluid Test Prescribed?

AFP amniotic fluid test is a regular screening test recommended to pregnant women between the 15th and 20th week of their pregnancy. This test may especially be recommended to you if you have any of the following risk factors:

• You have any type of diabetes
• You have used any type of medicine or drugs during your pregnancy that have the potential to harm your baby
• You have a history of birth defects in your family
• You are over the age of 35 when you are pregnant

Components of AFP Amniotic Fluid Test

The normal levels of AFP in a pregnant woman at the ideal time of the test, which is 15 to 20 weeks pregnant, should be between 10 ng/ml to 150 ng/ml.

• If the AFP levels are above the suggested reference range, it may put the baby at risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly or chromosome abnormalities.
• If the test results show a lower AFP level than the reference range, it may indicate your child could have genetic disorders like down syndrome.

It is important to note that it is possible to get false positive test results when you opt for AFP amniotic fluid test. And in certain cases, a higher AFP level could indicate that you may be having more than one baby.

Procedure & Prerequisites

This test is a regular blood test that involves drawing blood from a vein in your arm. There are no prerequisites for this test.