Amniotic fluid phosphatidylglycerol in stressed pregnancies

In normal pregnancies phosphatidylglycerol (PG) correlates with increasing lecithin-sphingomyelin (L/S) values and gestational age. Acceleration of pulmonary maturity has been noted to occur in certain complicated pregnancies. In this study, using one-dimensional thin-layer chromatography, PG was noted to be present in some 'stressed' pregnancies with L/S values <2 (Class B and C diabetes with accompanying hypertension, preeclampsia, and premature rupture of the membranes). No neonate developed respiratory distress syndrome when PG was present.