Background: Cadmium is an extremely toxic metal with ubiquitous environmental distribution. Cadmium is a potent reproductive and developmental toxic agent, and intensive environmental exposure to this substance has been reported among the residents of Tehran. In this study, we investigated the correlation between amniotic fluid cadmium levels and the risk of preeclampsia, prematurity and low bi...

The relationship between the enzyme phosphatidate phosphohydrolase (PAPase) and lecithin/sphingomyelin (L/S) ratio in amniotic fluid was evaluated in normal human pregnancies and in several pregnancies complicated by Rh isoimmunization. An increase in PAPase activity in amniotic fluid appears to parallel the increase in L/S ratio after 33 weeks gestation in normal subjects. These data suggest t...

The cryopreservation of cultured and uncultured amniotic fluid cells is of special importance in prenatal diagnosis. The freezing procedure presented gave a cell recovery of about 95% for cultivated human amniotic fluid cells combined with a rapid appearance of mitosis after inoculation.

UNLABELLED Amniotic fluid Gram stain and culture have been utilized as laboratory tests of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. The Gram stain of amniotic fluid has a low sensitivity in the detection of clinical infection or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, and amniotic fluid culture results are not immediately available for management decisions. Glucose concentration is used to...

To test the hypothesis that a substance present in the amniotic fluid could serve as a regulator of amniotic fluid volume, we drained and discarded amniotic fluid while replacing it with lactated Ringer solution that was isotonic to amniotic fluid. Seven ewes with singleton fetuses at 119 +/- 1 days of gestation (mean +/- SE) were instrumented with multiple indwelling catheters in the pedal art...

This article discusses possible applications of cells derived from human amniotic fluid in regenerative medicine, specifically in stroke therapy. Recent studies have evaluated amniotic fluid as a viable source for mesenchymal stem cells in the expansion of cell-based transplantation. Laboratory data have demonstrated the ability of amniotic fluid stem cells (AFSC) to act as biobridges or subdur...

background: previous studies have shown that preeclampsia is associated with elevated maternal serum homocysteine levels, but few studies have evaluated homocysteine levels in amniotic fluid in these patients. the purpose of this study was to compare amniotic fluid homocysteine levels in preeclamptic women, with those of normal pregnant women. methods: a cross sectional study was done on 46 pre...

A 39-year-old 34-week-pregnant woman was referred to our hospital for preterm labor and fetal dysfunction. Fetal middle cerebral artery systolic maximum blood flow velocity was high, so fetal anemia was suspected. Blood type was O-type Rh (+) and fetal hemoglobin was 0.4%; tests for irregular antibody and human parvovirus B19 IgM were negative. A high brightness echoic mass was observed in feta...

BACKGROUND The existence of a "placental clock" which determines the duration of gestation has been previously proposed. It is related to placental CRH secretion and is active from an early phase in human pregnancy. Urocortin is a specific ligand for the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptor expressed by human trophoblast and fetal membranes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate wh...