HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HELEWA, M. Articles by HARMAN, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by HELEWA, M. Articles by HARMAN, C.

Amniotic Fluid Particles: Are They Related to a Mature Amniotic Fluid Phospholipid Profile?

From the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Abstract

In a prospective, blinded clinical study, the relationship between amniotic fluid free-floating particles measured by a dynamic ultrasound imaging method and phospholipid profile was studied in 82 women undergoing amniocentesis between 26-42 weeks' gestation. None of 11 patients with sonographically clear amniotic fluid had a mature phospholipid profile (lecithin-sphingomyelin ratio greater than 2 and detectable phosphatidylglycerol). Thirty-eight of 71 women (53%) with turbid or markedly turbid amniotic fluid had a mature phospholipid profile. The sensitivity of this method was 100%, specificity 25%, positive predictive value 53%, and negative predictive value 100%. Although the finding of sonographically clear amniotic fluid may eliminate unnecessary amniocentesis, markedly turbid amniotic fluid is not a reliable indicator of a mature amniotic fluid phospholipid profile.