Main clinical analyses on amniotic fluid.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: To suggest a series of clinical analyses performable on amniotic fluid, in different medical complications occurring during pregnancy.

METHODS

Various methodology, for different obstetrics situations, were compared among them.

RESULTS

The main indication for late amniocentesis are the tests for fetal lung maturity. The most broadly accepted is the L/S ratio, which has become the "gold standard", although this chromatographic technique is labor intensive compared to several other procedures proposed and used.

CONCLUSIONS

By amniocentesis, accurate fetal diagnosis has become possible. Clinical diagnostic tests are critical for many obstetric situations including premature rupture of membranes, management of pre-eclampsia, prevention of RDS. More recently, the widespread use of amniocentesis has led to study different aspects of fetal metabolism and/or fetal molecules whose functions remain to be established.