title: The mean weekly increment of amniotic fluid TDx-FLM II ratio is constant during the latter part of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the mean weekly increment in amniotic fluid TDx-FLM II ratio during the latter part of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  All women who underwent > 1 amniocentesis for the determination of fetal lung maturity between 1998 and 2004 were identified retrospectively. Clinical information and TDx-FLM II ratios were collected from the participant's chart and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The gestational age of all participants at the first TDx-FLM II test was 31.2 to 37.5 weeks (mean, 34.7 +/- 1.4 weeks of gestation). The median interval between the 2 tests was 7 days (range, 5-36 days). We found that the mean weekly increment of TDx-FLM II was 14.4 +/- 9.9 mg/g (surfactant to albumin) and remained constant across the gestational ages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The mean weekly increment of TDx-FLM II is 14.4 +/- 9.9 mg/g and is constant during the latter part of pregnancy. This information, combined with the gestational age, should be useful in treating women with an initial immature test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bildirici
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Moga
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gronowski
authors.forename: Yoel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sadovsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012189:Retrospective Studies