USE OF AMNIOSTAT-FLM IN DETECTING THE PRESENCE OF PHOSPHATIDYLGLYCEROL IN VAGINAL POOL SAMPLES IN PRETERM PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES

OBJECTIVE: The presence of phosphatidylglycerol in amniotic fluid from the vaginal pool has been established as a reliable marker of pulmona ry maturity in pregnancies complicated by preterm premature rupture of membranes because its presence is not affected by contaminants. This study was undertaken to determine the distribution of positive phospha tidylglycerol relative to gestational age from vaginal pool amniotic f luid samples and to assess the efficacy and accuracy of the Amniostat- FLM (Hana Biologics; Irvine Scientific after Sept. 14, 1989), an antib ody agglutination method for rapidly detecting phosphatidylglycerol. S TUDY DESIGN: All singleton nondiabetic pregnancies between 26 and 36 w eeks with premature rupture of membranes from whom a vaginal pool samp le was obtained were studied. The percent positive by gestational age was analyzed. The neonates that were delivered with a positive phospha tidylglycerol were evaluated for the presence of hyaline membrane dise ase and other immediate sequelae of prematurity. RESULTS: Of the 201 v aginal pool amniotic fluid samples assayed for phosphatidylglycerol wi th the Amniostat-FLM procedure, 18% (36/201) were positive for phospha tidylglycerol and none of the delivered infants developed hyaline memb rane disease. CONCLUSION: The Amniostat-FLM seems to be accurate in pr edicting pulmonary maturity from vaginal pool samples.