Comparison of disaturated phosphatidylcholine and fetal lung maturity surfactant/albumin ratio in diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancies

We studied fetal lung maturity (FLM) ty the amniotic fluid surfactant/album in (FLM S/A) ratio and the disaturated phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) amniotic fluid levels at different gestational ages in diabetic (179 women with type 1 diabetes mellitus antedating pregnancy; infants delivered within 72 hour s after amniotic fluid testing for DSPC level and FLM S/A ratio) and nondia betic pregnancies (2 independent nondiabetic groups, 300 for FLM S/A ratio and 1,231 for DSP level). The degree of maternal glycemia during gestation was estimated by serial measurements of hemoglobin A(1). Multiple regressio n analyses, including gestational age (GAs) and diabetic status as independ ent variables and FLM S/A ratio and DSPC level as dependent variables, reve aled significant effect from diabetic status and GA for FLM S/A ratio and a significant effect from GA but not from diabetic status for DSPC level. Gl ucose levels were controlled adequately throughout gestation as reflected b y mean total glycated hemoglobin levels. Amniotic fluid levels of DSPC, the major surface tension-lowering component of pulmonary surfactant, are not significantly different between diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancies at dif ferent GAs.