CORRELATION BETWEEN AMNIOTIC-FLUID OPTICAL-DENSITY, L-S RATIO, AND FETAL PULMONARY MATURITY

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 51  (2) , 152-155
Abstract
The correlation between lecithin/sphyngomyelin (L/S) ratio and amniotic fluid optical density of 400 and 650 nm was studied with 102 samples of fluid obtained from 72 patients. The accuracy of each method in predicting respiratory outcome of the newborn was evaluated in 28 patients who delivered within 48 h after amniocentesis. The correlation between spectrophotometric analysis and L/S ratio apparently is poor, and the latter may be a better predictor of neonatal respiratory outcome. Measurements of amniotic fluid optical density apparently are not an acceptable substitute for the L/S ratio in evaluating fetal pulmonary maturity.