Amniotic fluid squalene and fetal maturity

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Obstetrics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Amniotic fluid composition changes during pregnancy.
• Lipid profiles offer insights into fetal development and gestational status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate neutral lipid profiles in amniotic fluid during late pregnancy.
• To determine if lipid ratios can predict gestational age, specifically identifying post-term pregnancies.

Main Methods:

• Gas chromatography was used to analyze neutral lipids in 51 amniotic fluid samples.
• Lipid profiles were examined from the last two months of gestation.
• Squalene and cholesterol levels were quantified and their ratio (S/C) calculated.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in squalene relative to other neutral lipids was observed in amniotic fluid at term.
• The squalene-to-cholesterol (S/C) ratio effectively differentiated between pregnancies at or beyond 40 weeks gestation.
• Elevated S/C ratios and squalene levels correlated with pregnancies several weeks overdue.

Conclusions:

• The squalene-to-cholesterol ratio in amniotic fluid is a reliable biomarker for predicting advanced gestational age.
• This lipid analysis method can aid in the clinical management of post-term pregnancies.
• Monitoring neutral lipid profiles offers a novel approach to assessing pregnancy duration.