The concentration of surfactant protein-A in amniotic fluid decreases in spontaneous human parturition at term

Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa, Joon Seok Hong, William M. Hull, Chong Jai Kim, Ricardo Gomez, Moshe Mazor, Roberto Romero, Jeffrey A. Whitsett

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    24 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Objective. The fetus is thought to play a central role in the onset of labor. Pulmonary surfactant protein (SP)-A, secreted by the maturing fetal lung, has been implicated in the mechanisms initiating parturition in mice. The present study was conducted to determine whether amniotic fluid concentrations of SP-A and SP-B change during human parturition. Study design. Amniotic fluid SP-A and SP-B concentrations were measured with a sensitive and specific ELISA in the following groups of pregnant women: (1) mid-trimester of pregnancy, between 15 and 18 weeks of gestation (n = 29), (2) term pregnancy not in labor (n = 28), and (3) term pregnancy in spontaneous labor (n = 26). Non-parametric statistics were used for analysis. Results. SP-A was detected in all amniotic fluid samples. SP-B was detected in 24.1% (7/29) of mid-trimester samples and in all samples at term. The median amniotic fluid concentrations of SP-A and SP-B were significantly higher in women at term than in women in the mid-trimester (SP-A term no labor: median 5.6 μg/mL, range 2.2-15.2 μg/mL vs. mid-trimester: median 1.64 μg/mL, range 0.1-4.7 μg/mL, and SP-B term no labor: median 0.54 μg/mL, range 0.17-1.99 μg/mL vs. mid-trimester: median 0 μg/mL, range 0-0.35 μg/mL; both p < 0.001). The median amniotic fluid SP-A concentration in women at term in labor was significantly lower than that in women at term not in labor (term in labor: median 2.7 μg/mL, range 1.2-10.1 μg/mL vs. term no labor: median 5.6 μg/mL, range 2.2-15.2 μg/mL; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the median amniotic fluid SP-B concentrations between women in labor and those not in labor (term in labor: median 0.47 μg/mL, range 0.04-1.32 μg/mL vs. term no labor: median 0.54 μg/mL, range 0.17-1.99 μg/mL; p = 0.2). Conclusion. The amniotic fluid concentration of SP-A decreases in spontaneous human parturition at term.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)652-659
    Number of pages8
    JournalJournal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine
    Volume21
    Issue number9
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 8 Oct 2008

    Keywords

    • Amniotic fluid
    • Labor
    • Parturition
    • SP-A
    • SP-B
    • Surfactant protein
    • Term

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The concentration of surfactant protein-A in amniotic fluid decreases in spontaneous human parturition at term'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this