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Does the amniotic fluid protein absorption contribute significantly to the fetal weight?
1Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
Objective:
This study was carried out to evaluate the significance of amniotic fluid protein ingestion and absorption on fetal growth.
Methodology:
Neonates with small bowel atresia during a 30 year period were studied retrospectively.
Results:
There were 56 patients enlisted, 17 with duodenal atresia, 18 with jejunal atresia and 21 with ileal atresia. The percentage of mothers with polyhydramnios and the percentage of premature babies decreases as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal. The mean gestational age and the mean birthweight increase as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal. On the other hand, the percentage of the neonates with birthweight below the 50th and the 10th percentiles do not differ significantly as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal.
Conclusions:
It appears that the variation of birthweights in babies with different levels of small bowel atresia may be due to the difference in gestation caused by polyhydramnios. The effect of amniotic fluid protein absorption on fetal bodyweight could not be demonstrated clinically in this study.