In a retrospective study of low birth weight babies (less than 2.5 kg) born in one year it was found that statistically more maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels were above twice the median level than a control group of mothers producing larger babies (more than 3 kg). However, from the results the test cannot be accepted as being a prospective indicator or as a screening test of low birth weight in pregnant women.
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Margaret L. Smith (1980) studied this question.