Serum Alpha Feto Proteins of pregnant women in selected primary health centers in Bukuru Plateau State

Abstract

Background: Alpha Feto Protein (AFP) is a Tumour biomarker normally produced in the yolk sac, epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract and liver during embryonic development. In pregnancy, AFP enters the amniotic fluid through fetal blood, via the placenta into maternal blood. The serum concentration of maternal AFP predicts foetal and/or maternal disorders during gestation.

Aim: The study sought to evaluate serum levels of non-virally infected women in first, second and third trimester

Method: A total of 130 participants: 95(73.1%) pregnant women and 35(26.9%) non pregnant women as controls, all above 15 years, were enrolled in this study. All sera samples were analysed using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. All data were subjected to statistical analyses using SPSS version 21.0 with statistical significance set at P˂0.05 and these statistical instruments were used to analyse the data. Mean, Standard Deviation of Mean, ANOVA and Independent student’s T-test was used to test for significance of parameters.

Results: Elevated serum AFP was recorded in 1(0.77%) among all the participants. There was a statistical significance between mean of AFP at first (:53.00 ± 31.37), second (29.58±4.80) and third trimesters (94.16±29.2), all in mg/ml. There was a significant difference between control and test participants (p<0.05) except between first and second trimesters. Mean±SD weight of the pregnant women based on their trimesters was 60.14±5.49, 64.79±10.92 and 72.42±15.13 (kg) respectively.

Conclusion: This work reveals increase in serum AFP with age of pregnancy with no variation with age of the subjects.