OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to establish a normative scale of amniotic fluid index (AFI) or four-quadrant amniotic fluid index throughout gestation in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies, and to identify the lower and upper limits for each gestational week. METHOD A prospective longitudinal study was used. One hundred seventeen uncomplicated singleton pregnancies were examined ever...

Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is defined as spontaneous rupture of the fetal membranes prior to 37 weeks of gestation in the absence of labor. PPROM complicates 2-3% of all pregnancies and is associated with 30-40% of preterm deliveries. This condition, therefore, is a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality [1,2]. Amniotic fluid has a number of functions that are esse...

UNLABELLED Amniotic fluid Gram stain and culture have been utilized as laboratory tests of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. The Gram stain of amniotic fluid has a low sensitivity in the detection of clinical infection or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, and amniotic fluid culture results are not immediately available for management decisions. Glucose concentration is used to...

Measurement of the production of surfactant is the most direct means of prenatally assessing fetal pulmonary maturity. We review assays which have evolved for measuring surfactant, classifying them into two general categories: biochemical quantitation and biophysical measurements. Biochemical quantitation assays include the amniotic fluid lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio and quantitation of lecithi...

background: previous studies have shown that preeclampsia is associated with elevated maternal serum homocysteine levels, but few studies have evaluated homocysteine levels in amniotic fluid in these patients. the purpose of this study was to compare amniotic fluid homocysteine levels in preeclamptic women, with those of normal pregnant women. methods: a cross sectional study was done on 46 pre...

results mode of delivery, nicu admission neonatal death and induction of labor. oligohydramnious is associated with a high rate of pregnancy complications and increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. women with oligohydramnious usually have low-birth babies. conclusion however, we can expect a safe and good outcome for pregnant women with oligohydramnious, should proper fetal surveillance a...

The soluble form of the inhibitory immune receptor leukocyte-Associated Ig-like Receptor-1 (sLAIR-1) is present in plasma, urine and synovial fluid and correlates to inflammation. We and others previously showed inflammatory protein expression in normal amniotic fluid at term. We hypothesized that sLAIR-1 is present in amniotic fluid during term parturition and is related to fetal lung function...

Adequate amniotic fluid (AF) volume is maintained by a balance of fetal fluid production (lung liquid and urine) and resorption (swallowing and intramembranous flow). Because fetal urine is the principle source of AF, alterations in urine flow and composition directly impact AF dynamics. Intra-amniotic 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) is rapidly absorbed into fetal plasma and induces...

Fetal swallowing of amniotic fluid, which contains numerous cytokines and growth factors, plays a key role in gut mucosal development. Preterm birth interrupts this exposure to amniotic fluid-borne growth factors, possibly contributing to the increased risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants. We hypothesized that supplementation of formula feeds with amniotic fluid can prov...