Alpha-Fetoprotein and the Prenatal Detection of Neural Tube Defects.

The article discusses the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and prenatal detection of defects on neural tube in the U.S. The alpha-fetoprotein is accepted as an essential tool for the early detection of open neural tube defects. There are reasons regarding how the AFP test may be used and monitored like the use of amniotic fluid AFP assays in the diagnostic test category where several control mechanisms are in place. It is clear that unrestricted licensing of reagents for the AFP assay may precipitate an unfortunate sequence of events could led to missed diagnoses as well as avoidable termination of normal pregnancies.