title: Maturity of fetal lungs determined by bubble stability in amniotic fluid.
abstract: A simple and quick screening method to determine fetal lung maturity is tested. Artificial air bubbles in amniotic fluid are measured microscopically in a moist chamber. Thus the concentration of the lung surfactant is evaluated and presented by the stability index (SI). This index increases continuously during pregnancy and is used as a means to determine fetal lung maturity. The large standard deviation of the SI between 30 and 35 weeks gestation limits the application of this simple method.
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000032:analysis; D013223:Statistics as Topic
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants