Studies on maturity in newborn infants. VIII. Alpha-foetoprotein and albumin

Cord blood of 125 newborn infants of various gestational ages has been analysed for the amounts of alpha-foetoprotein and albumin using an electroimmunoassay. The quotient alpha-foetoprotein/birth weight was recorded as well. All the three measureements correlate fairly well with the gestational age of newborn infants. Measuring alpha-foetoprotein is not of the same value, however, in estimating gestational age as is the simple scoring of external characteristics.