The influence of pre-eclampsia on fetal lung maturity

To use amniotic fluid (AF) lamellar body count (LBC) to assess the influence of pre-eclampsia and associated pathologic conditions on fetal lung maturity (FLM).

A prospective study was conducted to analyze 378 AF samples containing 5 mL of AF from 306 singleton pregnancies at 26-39 weeks. Stratified by gestational age groups, pregnancies were categorized as follows: pre-eclampsia (n=25); intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (n=74); pre-eclampsia and IUGR (n=63); and control (n=144). Amniotic fluid LBC in each group was estimated and medians were compared for defined gestational age periods. Statistical analyses were performed via non-parametric tests.

Between 31 and 33 weeks, significantly lower median LBCs were found in the pre-eclampsia group than in the IUGR group (P=0.022) and in pregnancies with both entities (P=0.031). Between 34 and 36 weeks, there were significantly lower median LBCs in the pre-eclampsia and the pre-eclampsia/IUGR groups than in the IUGR group (P=0.026 and P=0.004, respectively), as well as in the pre-eclampsia/IUGR group compared with the control group (P=0.04).

Significantly lower LBCs in pre-eclamptic pregnancies between 31 and 36 weeks of gestation indicate delayed FLM associated with pre-eclampsia.