COMPARISON OF 2 TESTS AND ABSORBENCY AT 650 NM FOR ASSESSING FETAL LUNG MATURITY

The clinical performance of three rapidly performed tests-tap test, TD x Fetal Lung Maturity and amniotic fluid absorbance at 650 nm-in predi cting fetal lung maturity were evaluated in 300 samples of clear amnio tic fluid. In all cases, delivery occurred within three days of sample collection. Of the 300 newborns, 44 developed respiratory distress sy ndrome. For the tap rest, the sensitivity (95.4%), specificity (82.8%) , and predictive value for maturity (99.7%) and immaturity (48.9%) wer e comparable to those of the TDx fetal lung maturity test: sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 88.3%, and predictive value for maturity of 1 00% and immaturity of 53.1%. The specificity (68.4%) and predictive va lue for immaturity (34.7%) of amniotic fluid absorbance at 650 nm were significantly lower than for the TDx and tap tests, where-as no signi ficant difference was found for sensitivity and prediction of maturity between amniotic fluid absorbance at 650 nm and the TDx and tap rests . Both the tap and the TDx tests appear to be useful in antenatal asse ssment of fetal lung maturity in terms of reliability, rapidity and un iformity.