Amniotic Fluid

Question 1

What is Polyhydramnios?

Answer 1

Excess of Amniotic fluid
Failure of the fetus to begin swallowing amniotic fluid

Question 2

How do we maintain fluid for Fetal Lung Maturity (FLM) tests?

Answer 2

Placed in ice
Refrigerated or frozen and tested within 72 hours

Question 3

What is significant about a dark red color in amniotic fluid?

Answer 3

Known for fetal death

Question 4

What is the wavelength of maximum bilirubin absorption?

Answer 4

450 nm
Difference between the OD of the baseline and the OD at 450 nm

Question 5

When does the fetus produce maximum AFP?

Answer 5

12-15 weeks gestation

Question 6

How do we report serum and amniotic fluid AFP levels?

Answer 6

Multiples of the median (MoM)

Question 7

Why would we do a measurement of Amniotic Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)?

Answer 7

Elevated amniotic fluid AFP levels

Question 8

When do we not want to perform AChE?

Answer 8

On a bloody specimen because it contains AChE3