ALL meanings of alpha-fetoprotein
al·pha-fe·to·pro·tein
A a - noun alpha-fetoprotein a protein that forms in the liver of the human fetus. Excessive quantities in the amniotic fluid and maternal blood may indicate spina bifida in the fetus; low levels may point to Down's syndrome 3
- noun alpha-fetoprotein a protein in the blood of a normal fetus, occasionally reappearing in an adult, where its presence indicates the possibility of disease or, in a pregnant woman, of fetal malformations 3
- noun alpha-fetoprotein a serum protein produced during pregnancy, useful in the prenatal diagnosis of multiple births or birth defects. Abbreviation: AFP. 1