AFP Screening Utility Explained
Maternal serum screening for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a vital test performed during pregnancy.
Screening for Neural Tube Defects
Elevated levels of AFP in the mother's blood can indicate a higher risk of certain birth defects affecting the baby's brain and spine. These are known as neural tube defects (NTDs).
- Common NTDs include spina bifida (where the spinal cord doesn't close properly) and anencephaly (where the baby is missing major parts of the brain and skull).
- High AFP levels are not diagnostic but signal the need for further testing, such as ultrasound or amniocentesis.
Other Conditions
The other conditions listed are typically screened for using different methods:
- Congenital hypothyroidism: Screened shortly after birth via a heel prick blood test measuring thyroid hormone levels (TSH).
- Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A genetic disorder diagnosed through genetic testing, not typically by maternal serum AFP screening.
- Phenylketonuria (PKU): Also screened after birth using a heel prick blood test to check for enzyme deficiencies.
Therefore, maternal serum AFP testing is a primary screening tool specifically for neural tube defects.
Important Questions from Preventive Medicine
Consider the following statement :
"The people should seek to preserve their traditional eating patterns and life-styles associated with low levels of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)."
Which level of prevention is implied in this statement?
- Which of the following criteria must be met by a disease before it is to be considered suitable for a screening programme?
1. The natural history of the disease should be adequately understood.
2. No effective treatment should exist for the disease.
3. The disease should not have a recognizable latent or asymptomatic stage.
4. There should be a test that can detect the disease prior to onset of signs and symptoms.
Select the correct answer using the code given below. In primary immune response, how much more antigenic dose is required to induce IgG antibodies as against the induction of IgM antibodies?
- Which among the following is/are the examples of primordial prevention ?
1. Adopting healthy lifestyles from childhood
2. Immunization of infants
3. Screening of cervical cancer
Select the correct answer using the code given below: - What is the correct sequence of the following levels of prevention?
1. Specific protection
2. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment
3. Disability limitation and rehabilitation
4. Health promotion
Select the correct sequence from the code given below:
