Using an immunological technique limits of normal levels of AFP in maternal blood have been worked out during pregnancy from a series of 3010 samples of blood. Comparing mean curves for the levels of AFP in mothers suffering from anaemia and diabetes with normal curves shows that there is a significant rise in these levels in the third trimester of pregnancy. The possible mechanisms and their relationship to the variation levels of AFP are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Comparative study of oral and intravenous glucose tolerance test during pregnancy (author's transl)].

The glucose tolerance has been studied in 140 non diabetic pregnant women by successively oral and intravenous glucose tolerance test, as described respectively by O'Sullivan and Conard. The results of both tests are grossly similiar, and are affected on the same way by the evolution of the pregnancy. The intravenous glucose tolerance test is the easiest and the most reproducible; however some extra diabetic factors can interfere and mainly this test is not sensitive enough to discriminate between the pathologic and borderline situations. For all these reasons the intravenous glucose tolerance test can be used as a screening test for diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. The oral glucose tolerance test is necessary only when the K value is abnormal or subnormal.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Alpha fetoprotein and neonatal jaundice. Contribution to the study of a physiopathologic mechanism].

The increase in the maternal plasma A.F.P. level is due to an hypoxia of the foetus. The prospective study of 851 single pregnancies shows that there is a significant rise in the A.F.P. levels during the last days of the pregnancy if the babies are going to exhibit a so-called physiological jaundice at birth: the decrease of the A.F.P. levels in these cases is four times slower than in normal cases. The prospective study of another group of 404 pregnancies gave the same results for the A.F.P. level of the blood of the umbilical cord. Statistical analysis showed that the pathological conditions capable of increasing the A.F.P. levels are related to neo-natal jaundice. The neo-natal jaundice may be due to a factor of foetal hypoxia capable of inducing an over stimulation of the foetal erythropoiesis. The results of this mechanism would be a quantitative disequilibrium between an increased hemolysis and a reduced bilirubine fixation capacity during the neo-natal period.

Bilirubin↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Fetal and neonatal supraventricular paroxysmal tachycardias].

The authors report 3 cases of fetal supraventricular tachycardia which carried on into neo-natal life. In one case the tachycardia was discovered in the 35th week of amenorrhoea and was able to be followed up to term. In this respect the means of making a definite diagnosis are as follows : a cardiotocogram when one happens to be able to observe the beginning or the end of an attack (in which case a definite "plateau" shape is found) and especially a fetal electrocardiogram obtained transparietally in pregnancy or by means of an internal electrode in labour. Supraventricular tachycardia is usually of marked degree and comes in isolated episodes and is not to be confused with tachycardia that is found accompanying fetal distress, occurring in pathological pregnancies. The obstetrician can therefore delay while carrying out intensive supervision of the case, which is particularly directed to searching for signs of generalised feto-placental oedema. After birth the child should be transferred to an intensive care unit where the tachycardia, if it persists, should be reduced in order to avoid serious asystolies. The outlook for the baby if there is no congenital malformation is good, since the trouble with the cardiac rhythm is usually a reflection of lack of maturity in the cardiac conduction tissues.

Electrocardiography↗