Accumulation of interleukin-1 and interleukin-6 in amniotic fluid: a sequela of labour at term and preterm

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Abstract
From the finding of miro-organisms or inflammatory mediators, or both, in amniotic fluid (AF), it has been proposed that intrauterine infection is one cause of preterm labour (PTL, intact fetal membranes). This theory, however, remains unproved, i.e. the accumulation of micro-organisms and inflammatory mediators in AF after labour is in progress may be the consequence, not the cause, of labour both at term and preterm. This study was conducted to evaluate this possibility by a comparison of the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in AFs collected before and during PTL (18 h PTL, the incidence of IL-1β-positive samples was 35 out of 39 (89.7%). The concentrations of IL-1β (pg/ml; mean ± SEM) in AFs collected during PTL (2680 ± 730; n = 106) were greater than those in AFs collected from the upper compartment and forebag during term labour (436 ± 244, n = 64; and 468 ± 119, n = 176) respectively; this difference, however, was attributable to very high concentrations of IL-1β in AFs in which PTL was in progress for >18 h before AF collection (6021 ± 1832; n = 39). The concentrations of IL-6 in AF were correlated with those of IL-1β (P Key words: cytokines/forebag/inflammation/parturition/preterm labour

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