SATURATED PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN AMNIOTIC-FLUID OF NORMAL AND DIABETIC PREGNANCIES

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 64  (1) , 77-85
Abstract
To assess fetal lung maturation in normal and diabetic pregnancies, 2 phospholipids that are more specific for pulmonary surfactant than total phosphatidylcholine (lecithin), i.e., saturated phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol were studied. Saturated phosphatidylcholine concentrations normally increase from 10 to 20 nmol/ml before 34 wk to as high as 150 nmol/ml at term. Although the absolute concentration of saturated phosphatidylcholine could not be used to reliably identify pregnancies leading to respiratory distress syndrome [RDS], a saturated phosphatidylcholine level > 50% of total phosphatidylcholine was associated with satisfactory neonatal pulmonary function, whereas RDS often occurred in premature infants when < 1/2 the phosphatidylcholine was saturated. Carefully regulated diabetic pregnancies [insulin; carbohydrate metabolism control] at 36-42 wk of gestation were not different from matched control subjects with respect to total phosphatidylcholine, its ratio to sphingomyelin, saturated phosphatidylcholine, or phosphatidylglycerol. RDS did not occur in any infant of the 40 diabetic mothers studied, nor were there any congenital anomalies or cases of symptomatic hypoglycemia.