Evaluation of Actual Maternal Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein (MSAFP) Levels in Placental Abruption and Associations with Adverse Outcomes

To evaluate the relationship between the actual maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels and maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes in patients diagnosed with placental abruption. This prospective case-control study included 40 patients who presented at the Perinatology Department between December 15, 2018, and September 01, 2019, were diagnosed with placental abruption and underwent cesarean section delivery at ≥ 34 weeks, and 41 healthy individuals without any additional systemic pathologies, who had a cesarean section under elective conditions. The patient demographic data, MSAFP levels, and maternal, fetal, and neonatal results were compared. Correlation analyses were applied between the MSAFP levels and demographic characteristics, birthweight, Apgar scores, and transfusion requirement in the group with placental abruption. MSAFP levels (ng/ml) were significantly higher in the group with placental abruption than in the healthy control group (299.1 ± 214 and 156.2 ± 52.3, p = 0.012). In the neonatal results, birthweight and 1st and 5th minutes Apgar scores were lower in the group with placental abruption than in the control group (p = 0.025 and p < 0.001). The neonatal intensive care unit admission rate was higher in the group with placental abruption than in the healthy control group (p = 0.017 and p = 0.002). A statistically significant, negative correlation was found between MSAFP and 1st and 5th minutes Apgar scores (r = − 0.526, r = − 0.522 and p < 0.001, p = 0.001, respectively). The data obtained in this study suggest that MSAFP, which is a simple test, can be used in the clinical management of suspicious placental abruption or antepartum hemorrhage of unknown origin and the prediction of neonatal prognosis.