OBJECTIVE: The content of meconium in amniotic fluid(AF) is important for assessing the risk of several perinatal problems. This estimate is usually performed subjectively by visual inspection. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical usefulness of meconium-crit method as an objective method for quantitative measurement of meconium content in AF. METHODS: Seventy of AF samples were obtained with amniocentesis from the pregnants of 30 weeks and over. Twenty-four of meconium-stained AF(MSAF)samples among them were separated through the subjective and gross assessment of clinicians. MSAF samples, except for the two samples contaminated by blood, were again divided into two categories: AF with fresh-meconium (11 samples) and AF with old-meconium(11 samples). Absorption spectra and meconium-crit of the samples were measured. RESULTS: Correlation coefficients between meconium-crit and absorption spectra at 425nm were 0.741 for 11 AF with fresh meconium, 0.255 for AF with old meconium and 0.354 for all MSAF samples. Those at 550nm were 0.934 for 11 AF with fresh meconium, 0.669 for 11 AF with old meconium and 0.639 for all MSAF samples. Those at 700nm were 0.916 for 11 AF with fresh meconium, 0.680 for 11 AF with old meconium and 0.706 for all MSAF samples. Analyses of correlation coefficients show very good or excellent relationship between absorption spectra and meconium-crit for AF with fresh meconium while little or moderate relationship for AF with old meconium. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore meconium-crit can be used as the objective and quantitative method that can measure meconium content in AF although variable results are shown in AF with old meconium.
Absorption ; Amniocentesis ; Amniotic Fluid* ; Female ; Meconium*