AMNIOTIC FLUID ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE AND PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS

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Abstract
Raised specific acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in amniotic fluid was associated with fetal intrauterine death and neural tube defects, but in under half of the samples from pregnancies with spina bifida, the increase was marginal. Elevated AChE levels were occasionally found in fluid samples contaminated by maternal blood, and in nearly half of the samples which were a brown or yellow-brown color but where there was a normal fetus. Some 9 fluids, 5 of which were contaminated with fetal blood, had a false positive result on .alpha.-fetoprotein (AFP) assay (elevated AFP levels and a normal fetus), but showed normal AChE activities. AChE estimation might be useful in prenatal diagnosis as a 2nd test for those fluids which have an elevated AFP level.