Maternal serum biochemical markers in pregnancies with fetal parvovirus B19 infection.

Hydrops fetalis and fetal death caused by fetal parvovirus B19 infection have been reported to be associated with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), based on a total of six cases. It has been suggested that the absence of AFP elevation may be reassuring. Maternal serum levels of the Down syndrome screening markers unconjugated oestriol and human chorionic gonadotropin in cases of fetal parvovirus infection have not been previously reported. We report four cases of hydrops fetalis and fetal death caused by fetal parvovirus infection, each with unremarkable second-trimester levels of AFP, unconjugated oestriol, and human chorionic gonadotropin.