title: Amniotic fluid squalene and fetal maturity.
abstract: Gas chromatographic profiles of neutral lipids in amniotic fluid pellets were analysed for 51 specimens collected from patients in the last two months of pregnancy. The most noticeable change was a large increase in squalene relative to other components in samples at term. By expressing data as a ratio of squalene to cholesterol (S/C), it was possible to accurately predict which amniotic fluid specimens came from patients whose pregnancies were of a gestation of 40 weeks or later. Highest values for S/C and for squalene were obtained for pregnancies which were several weeks overdue.
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013185:Squalene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D013185:Squalene; D002784:Cholesterol