ABSTRACT
Current evidence indicates that amniotic fluid arises in part from the excretion of urine by the fetus and in part from the maternal transfer of water and solutes. Normal urine does not contain bilirubin. However, during normal gestation it is possible to detect a spectrophotometric peak at 450 nm in amniotic fluid which represents unconjugated bilirubin. A practical problem that may be encountered in obstetrics is the recognition of whether a given fluid is urine from the mother or amniotic fluid from the rupture of the fetal membrane. One of the principal limitations of the study of amniotic fluid is that the fluid requires a special technique for collection except at the time of delivery. Amniotic fluid study can provide information that is not otherwise available. In certain instances, the serious problem of an infant with genetic defects can be recognized at an early phase of gestation.
