{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,5]],"date-time":"2026-10-05T19:44:10Z","timestamp":1791229450608,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,27]],"date-time":"2022-12-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1672099200000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["ogscience.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Obstet Gynecol Sci"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,15]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>The two main screening tests during pregnancy are those for chromosomal abnormalities and neural tube defects (NTDs). In particular, for NTDs, measurement of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) levels early in the second trimester (15-18 weeks of gestation) has been considered the gold standard screening test for the past 4 decades. However, with remarkable technological advancements and the widespread use of ultrasound during those periods, mid-trimester ultrasonography has gradually replaced the role of measuring MSAFP levels as a screening method for NTDs. This change was initiated more about 10 years ago in some countries, which have issued national guidelines to use mid-trimester ultrasonography instead of measuring MSAFP levels as a prenatal screening method for NTDs. However, no significant changes have occurred in Korea, where second-trimester ultrasonography is routinely performed with high-quality equipment. We aimed to provide information regarding the importance of changing the screening method for NTDs from MSAFP measurement to ultrasonography, and to detail methods of implementing mid-trimester ultrasonography for screening purposes. We also share our experience of operating a prenatal diagnostic program for NTDs without using MSAFP for more than 15 years.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.5468\/ogs.22263","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,12,28]],"date-time":"2022-12-28T02:10:12Z","timestamp":1672193412000},"page":"1-10","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.5468\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Prenatal screening for neural tube defects: from maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein to ultrasonography"],"prefix":"10.5468","volume":"66","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5347-4088","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gwang Jun","family":"Kim","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ji Su","family":"Seong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jin A","family":"Oh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"3425","reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/gim.0b013e3181bb267b"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/aog.0000000000002412"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pd.2250"},{"key":"ref4","first-page":"927","volume-title":"Prenatal screening, diagnosis, and pregnancy management of fetal neural tube defects","author":"Wilson","year":"2014"},{"key":"ref5","first-page":"123","volume-title":"ACOG practice bulletin. 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