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Updated: Apr 11, 2026
A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
Published on: June 24, 2020
Amniotic fluid CA-125 as a marker of intra-amniotic inflammation associated with preterm delivery: a preliminary
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Samduk 2 Ga, JungGu, Daegu, South Korea. wjseong@knu.ac.kr.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to investigate whether amniotic fluid (AF) CA-125 in patients with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes can help predict intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI), microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) and imminent delivery.
Methods:
We recruited 36 women who admitted with impending preterm delivery and suspicious AF infection. AF matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), white blood cell (WBC) count, glucose levels, and CA-125 levels were measured, and the MMP-8 bedside rapid test was also performed. AF culture and PCR were subsequently performed to confirm MIAC. We compared AF CA-125 levels according to the presence of IAI or MIAC and assessed its predictive value for delivery within 7 days of admission.
Results:
AF CA-125 levels were significantly higher in the IAI group than in the non-IAI group (mean ± standard deviation: 5608 ± 864 vs 904 ± 84 IU/ml; p = 0.001). AF CA-125 levels showed a negative correlation with gestational age and a positive correlation with AF WBC counts and MMP-8 levels. AF CA-125 levels were higher in the MIAC group, though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.064). Delivery within 7 days of admission was significantly more common in patients with higher AF CA-125 levels (cut-off: 1650 IU/ml, sensitivity: 71.4 %, specificity: 86.4 %, p = 0.005).
Conclusion:
AF CA-125 levels are increased in patients with AF inflammation and can be a predictor of imminent preterm delivery.
