Open AccessThe Value of Amniotic Fluid Lecithin/Sphingomyelin Determination in Prediction of Hyaline Membrane Disease
Author(s) -
Löfstrand Tord,
Fex Göran
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016347609158525
Subject(s) - hyaline , medicine , amniotic fluid , obstetrics , pregnancy , disease , lecithin , sphingomyelin , gestational age , gynecology , fetus , gastroenterology , pathology , cholesterol , biology , genetics , biochemistry
. 246 samples of amniotic fluid were obtained from 245 women with normal or complicated pregnancy near or at parturition. the lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio was determined and retrospectively correlated with the clinical course of the neonate. Ten neonates developed hyaline membrane disease (HMD). the highest L/S‐ratio in this group was 1.82. Cesarean section was not associated with HMD if L/S‐ratio indicated pulmonary maturity (L/S>2). with the exception of children born by women with toxemia or chronic hypertensive disease, where no case of HMD appeared among nine infants, children with birth weights <2 000 g developed HMD in about 50% (6/11 cases). the results show that the L/S‐ratio correlates well to the pulmonary maturity of the neonate. Determination of L/S‐ratio is therefore of great importance in cases of high risk pregnancy or doubtful gestational age prior to induction or Cesarean section.