AMNIOTIC-FLUID OPTICAL-DENSITY AND NEONATAL RESPIRATORY OUTCOME

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (2) , 262-265
Abstract
A simple, rapid and accurate test to assess [human] fetal pulmonary maturity on a 24 h basis, 7 days/wk, is urgently needed. A 15 min test was developed that correlates well with fetal pulmonary maturity. Optical density (OD) readings at 650 nm of .gtoreq. 0.15 in pigment-free, centrifuged (2000 .times. g, 10 min) amniotic fluids obtained from gestations of 33 to 42 wk correlate with fetal pulmonary maturity (131 of 131, 100%). When OD readings are < 0.15 in fluids from gestations of 24 to 40 wk and antepartum steroids are utilized, the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is 8.3% (14 of 169). The true false-negative rate in this group is therefore unknown.