We hypothesized that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulates amniotic fluid transport across the amnion by upregulating vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in amnion cells and that amniotic PGE2 concentration correlates positively with intramembranous (IM) absorption rate in fetal sheep. The effects of PGE2 at a range of concentrations on VEGF 164 and caveolin-1 gene expressions wer...

BACKGROUND Oligohydramnios (reduced amniotic fluid) may be responsible for malpresentation problems, umbilical cord compression, concentration of meconium in the liquor, and difficult or failed external cephalic version. Simple maternal hydration has been suggested as a way of increasing amniotic fluid volume in order to reduce some of these problems. OBJECTIVES The objective of this review w...

Intramembranous absorption increases during intra-amniotic infusion of physiological saline solutions. The increase may be due partly to the concomitant elevation in fetal urine production as fetal urine contains a stimulator of intramembranous absorption. In this study, we hypothesized that the increase in intramembranous absorption during intra-amniotic infusion is due, in part, to dilution o...

BACKGROUND Ultrasound assessment of amniotic fluid has important implication in obstetrics care and it has become an integral and important component of pregnancy assessment. Changes in amniotic fluid volume are associated with adverse outcome. Excess volume is associated with foetal anomalies and aneuploidy and less volume is associated with Intra Uterine Growth Retardation, renal anomalies in...

Swallowing of amniotic fluid and lung fluid inflow were eliminated in 10 chronically instrumented fetuses. The urachus was ligated, and fetal was urine drained to the outside. At the beginning and the end of 21 experiments of 66 +/- 5 (SE) h duration, all amniotic fluid was temporarily drained to the outside for volume measurement and sampling. Amniotic fluid osmolalities and oncotic pressures ...

Amniotic fluid at 15-20 weeks contains high concentrations of microvillar enzymes which serve as markers for the prenatal diagnosis of cystic fibrosis. We found that these enzymes were mostly bound to amniotic fluid particulate fraction which eluted in the void volume on Sepharose 6B chromatography and precipitated in ultracentrifugation at 100,000g. Electron microscopy showed that the particul...

Introduction Twin pregnancies are at increased risk, compared to singleton pregnancies, for spontaneous abortions, malformations, low birth weight neonates, and preterm deliveries. Additionally the pregnancies are at greater risk for gestational diabetes, hypertension/ preeclampsia, acute fatty liver, and placental abruption. Because of these increased risks for pregnancy complications and adve...

Little is known about the origin of albumin in amniotic fluid. A fetal origin is questionable, because of the low concentration of protein in fetal urine and lung fluid. A maternal origin of proteins in amniotic fluid was already proposed in the 1970s. This review focuses on the possible sources of albumin in amniotic fluid and on the pathways for albumin to enter and leave the amniotic fluid i...

INTRODUCTION Amniotic fluid is an important factor in the prediction of fetal survival. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of intravenous hydration of mothers on amniotic fluid volume and in turn on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS The current single blind controlled clinical trial was conducted on 20 pregnant mothers with amniotic fluid index of lower or equal to 5 cm and gestat...

Introduction: Amniotic fluid, once thought to merely provide protection and room for necessary movement and growth for the fetus, is now understood to be a highly complex and dynamic system that is studied as a data point to interpret fetal wellbeing. Methods: Assessment of amniotic fluid volume is now routine when performing a sonographic evaluation of fetal status and is an important consider...