title: Ratio of amniotic fluid cortisol and maternal serum cortisol (AFC/MSC) as an index of fetal lung maturity.
abstract: Fifty-eight samples of amniotic fluid from pregnant women between the gestation period of 34-42 weeks were analyzed for total cortisol levels. Thirty-four simulatneous maternal serum total cortisol levels were also measured. Amniotic fluid cortisol (AFC), maternal serum cortisol (MSC) and the ratio of AFC/MSC were correlated with L/S ratio. AFC alone and AFC/MSC ratios correlate with L/S ratios (r=0.36, p less than 0.01, and r=0.46, p less than 0.01, respectively). MSC and L/S ratios had no correlation. AFC/MSC had less individual variation as compared to AFC alone. The AFC/MSC could be divided by an arbitrary line at 0.1 and values less than 0.1 signify immature fetal lungs. Values of 0.1 and greater signify mature fetal lungs.
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000209:etiology; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D006854:Hydrocortisone