Amniotic Fluid Oestriol Concentration During the Last Trimester of Pregnancy: II Perinatal Mortality and Morbidity

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Abstract. In the present study the amniotic fluid oestriol concentration was correlated to the condition of the foetus and newborn in pathological pregnancies and compared with the urinary excretion of oestriol. by transabdominal amniocentesis in 58 pregnant women 83 specimens of amniotic fluid were collected. Our method and normal concentration area has been described in a previous report. the results and conclusions were as follows: 1) in pregnancies complicated by perinatal death of the foetus or newborn the amniotic fluid oestriol levels were low. However, when the amniotic fluid was contaminated with meconium, the urinary oestriol assay reflected the condition of the foetus in a better way. 2) in connexion with anencephalia of a living foetus the amniotic fluid oestriol concentration was very low. 3) Amniotic fluid oestriol assays reflected perinatal morbidity such as asphyxia and respiratory distress of the newborn, remarkably well and better than urinary oestriol assays. 4) Amniotic fluid oestriol assays predicted signs of intrauterine malnutrition (»small for dates» and/or dysmaturitas of the newborn) just as well as urinary oestriol assays. 5) Fourteen out of seventeen women with pregnancy complications such as preecclampsia or hypertension, but giving birth to healthy infants presented normal oestriol concentrations in amniotic fluid. in this group too there was a good correlation between the condition of the newborn and the concentration of oestriol in amniotic fluid as well as the urinary excretion of oestriol.—It seems reasonable to conclude that the amniotic fluid oestriol assay has its advantages in preference to urinary oestriol assay. However, it was our impression that the two assays were complementary to one another in a favourable way. Thus the findings of the present study speak in favour of a more widespread combined use of the two oestriol assays.