title: Erythropoietin in amniotic fluid as a marker of chronic fetal hypoxia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determinate the erythropoietin concentration in amniotic fluid in normal pregnancies and pregnancies with suspected hypoxia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The erythropoietin concentration of 164 samples of amniotic fluid was determined by ELISA. The samples were taken by amniotomy during birth, as well as amniocentesis conducted during prenatal care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A distribution of 1.07-7.29 U/l (10th-90th percentile) within the normal group (n = 106) was determined. Significantly elevated erythropoietin levels in amniotic fluid were determined in maternal hypertension (P = 0.039) and low birth-weight children (P = 0.0032). A correlation with the child's sex could be excluded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated erythropoietin levels in amniotic fluid indicated chronic fetal hypoxia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Rudolf Virchow University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Buescher
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hertwig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Dudenhausen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004921:Erythropoietin