title: Amniotic fluid alkaline ribonuclease activity: an indicator of foetal growth retardation and anencephaly.
abstract: Amniotic fluid alkaline ribonuclease (RNase) activity was measured in 55 normal and 29 neural tube defect pregnancies. The pregnancies which resulted in neural tube defects gave a mean value of 2,500 U/l with a SD of 600 compared with a mean activity of 1,600 U/l (SD 350) from the control normal pregnancies. The mean amniotic fluid RNase activity of 15 anencephalic pregnancies was 2,600 U/l (SD 600), compared with 1,600 U/l (SD 350), for 28 gestational age-matched controls. Highest RNase activities appear to be related to anencephaly.
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000201:enzymology*; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000201:enzymology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy; D012260:Ribonucleases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012260:Ribonucleases