Antenatal screening: neural tube defects: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Antenatal screening: neural tube defects

Sample item

Which maternal serum screening marker is typically elevated in an open neural tube defect?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Alpha-fetoprotein

Open neural tube defects can allow fetal alpha-fetoprotein to enter amniotic fluid and maternal serum. Screening results require confirmatory imaging and diagnostic evaluation.

Option by option

  • A. CA-125

    CA-125 is nonspecific and not a neural-tube screening marker.

  • B. Prolactin

    Prolactin is a pituitary hormone.

  • C. Troponin

    Troponin is a cardiac injury marker.

  • D. Alpha-fetoprotein (correct)

    Correct. Maternal AFP is elevated in many open neural tube defects.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is D, Alpha-fetoprotein. Open neural tube defects can allow fetal alpha-fetoprotein to enter amniotic fluid and maternal serum.

Why is "CA-125" not the answer?

CA-125 is nonspecific and not a neural-tube screening marker.

Why is "Prolactin" not the answer?

Prolactin is a pituitary hormone.

Why is "Troponin" not the answer?

Troponin is a cardiac injury marker.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antenatal screening: neural tube defects in OBG. Screening results require confirmatory imaging and diagnostic evaluation.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Antenatal screening: neural tube defects?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.