title: Comparison of fetal lung maturation in preterm singleton and twin pregnancies.
abstract: Preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes is one of the major complications of twin pregnancies and contributes to the increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Forty-seven twin pregnancies and a comparable group of singleton pregnancies constitute the study population. These patients' pregnancies were complicated only by preterm labor. The lecithin to sphingomyelin ratio is used as an index of fetal lung maturation. Analysis of the data reveals that fetal lung maturation is biochemically comparable between twin and singleton pregnancies and among twins for a given gestational age in this clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Winn
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hobbins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000032:analysis; D014427:Twins
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013109:Sphingomyelins