[Induction of fetal lung-maturity. Part III: surfactant-parameters in amniotic-fluid and fetal lung]

In animal experiments we determined surfactant-specific parameters of premature fetal lungs and of samples of amniotic fluid taken fromthe same animal, and compared them with each other. These parameters were, among others: total phospholipids, lecithine and palmitic acid. In these experiments, 75 gravid Wistar rats were treated with NaCl (controls) or drugs in clinically relevant doses for stimulating the fetal synthesis of phospholipids like betamethasone, bromhexine metabolite VIII and D-L-carnitine hydrochloride. A relation between the amniotic fluid and the fetal lung with regard to the quantity of surfactant substances was found - with a security of 95% - with the controls only. The value of amniotic fluid analysis is discussed under this aspect.